How to Burn Firewood With Moss Growing on It
Almost any type of wood can be used to start a fire as long as it is dry and has not begun to rot. Moss on dry wood should not be a deterrent. In fact, dry moss is a great source of kindling. If the moss on the wood is quite wet, it will smother the fire. And if you consider the fact that wet moss likely means wet wood, you are left with an unusable source of firewood.
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Scrape or pull the dried moss off of the wood and collect in a small container or pile.
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Place two pieces of fire wood next to each other, roughly 6 to 8 inches apart. Ideal fire wood for these starter pieces should be four to 6 inches in diameter and 1 to 2 feet long.
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Place the dried moss between the two logs in a pile at what will be the epicenter of your fire.
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Lay small (the smallest and driest you can find) twigs across the two base wood pieces, over the moss.
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Cover the first layer of small, dry twigs with another layer of slightly larger twigs. Lay the second layer at a 90-degree angle to the first. Leave room between the twigs for air to penetrate and reach the layer of moss below. If the twigs (and wood pieces of any other size) have moss on them that you no longer need for kindling, simply throw them on the fire, moss and all.
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Light the moss on fire with a lighter or match.
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Add larger pieces of wood to the fire once the twig layers are burning steadily.
References
Tips
- Don't collect firewood that has been laying on the ground. It is too damp to make a good fire.
- If the ground is damp, cover it with cardboard, paper - or another material that is safe to burn - before building the fire.
- Clear the area immediately adjacent to the fire to prevent accidental spreading.
- Green twigs and limbs burn the longest.
Writer Bio
Based in Houston, Texas, Meg Butler is a professional farmer, house flipper and landscaper. When not busy learning about homes and appliances she's sharing that knowledge. Butler began blogging, editing and writing in 2000. Her work has appered in the "Houston Press" and several other publications. She has an A.A. in journalism and a B.A. in history from New York University.
Photo Credits
- moss#22 image by krynio from Fotolia.com
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