Stone Branch, build it, they will come.

[George]

Something about Kentucky. It just feels right.

People move out west and shoot themselves in the head. Not my fate, but with winter starting in November and ending in June, and no woods/habitat to care for, I might understand. Nothing but joy in my heart, perhaps not shared with red maples, here in Kentucky.

G

 

[George]

This thing blows dog turds, literally.



I blew out the steep slope on the north end of the unit, up and down.









This blower blew matted stilt grass up and off the trail. I blew 1,000 yards of break out in about 2 hours and 3 tanks of gas, I'm happy with my purchase.



It might be ready to burn this evening.




G

 

[T-Max]

Looking good, G! Is that the 800 series blower that everyone raves about?

 

[George]

Looking good, G! Is that the 800 series blower that everyone raves about?

It sure is, thanks, T-man.

G

 

[weekender21]

Yep, those blowers are awesome!

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[cutman]

We burned about 35 acres of longleaf pine today. Nothing better than a good fire.

 

[George]

We burned about 35 acres of longleaf pine today. Nothing better than a good fire.

Nice, my fire turned into an extra 2 hours of fire fighting.

No guts no glory, is what I actually told myself.



About 20% humidity with some wind



Working 2 hot ends can be a challenge. I decided to trust the end up top to babysit itself and dropped off of the north slope.



Which turned into a hot mess fast, despite blowing out, I caught 3 stumps and a snag on fire that I had to smother out with dirt and my hands. I took these pictures on my way back up to check on things up top. No pictures but back up top I had about 1/4 acre of fire on the wrong side of my fire break/property line. I went back to the Polaris, fetched my new blower, came back, and blew out the fire plus 6 more logs to smother out.





I still had fire working on my side of the line when the firefighting was through.



I advanced my line for awhile till it started to fizzle out, I couldn't see where I was going in the dark anyway, so I cleared out



Back at camp around 8:30.



As of midnight, the mountain laurels are still up there crackling away.

G

 

[George]

G

 

[weekender21]

View attachment 27615

G

Hot spots from this morning?


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[George]

Hot spots from this morning?


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Yep, that was the fire at 7:00 am.

Bill brought forest warden Micheal Carter with him, whom I met on Bill's initial visit with me last May. Micheal just did 2 12s working wildfires.





We crossed the fire line mid slope to reach the 12th and final tally point. My dogs held up and weren't too sure about crossing through fire, but they did.



When they left around noon, they said get up there and finish my back burning. We knew that there were big winds coming, they had my back if needed. The fire had reestablished a nice fire line working the fingers of the ditch clockwise.



The wind up there was ridiculous.





Meanwhile, I could hear the approaching fire roaring up the hill through the mountain laurel.



By 5:00 pm I was wrapped all the way around when a little storm came through.



I took a peak after the rain from below and





above.



G

 

[weekender21]

Awesome. I’m just a little jealous you have so much time to burn! I’m still optimistic I’ll get at least one unit burned this spring, we’ll see.


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[George]

G

 

[gut_pile]

Good looking burn right there

 

[George]

Back into burn unit B, last evening, I went up to see if I could get anything to burn.









This am, fire was spotty on steep ground.









Fire didn't move through most of the little clearcut area, I might send a head fire.



So, I managed to get about 20 of 26 acres in this unit to burn. On to my next burn unit.



G

 

[George]

I've started on 1,500 yards of fire break.



I had some natural disturbance on the first leg up on the southwest end.





some firewood and



perhaps some boards.







G

 

[dogghr]

Such a pyro!!


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[George]

Such a pyro!!


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Pyro wannabe.

Eastern leg up, yellow tree markings were seemingly standing out stronger to me.





A snakey hillside.



I seemed to have learned something on my last burn, I'm now blowing out firebreaks wider and removing all dead wood.





Back up on the plateau,



I'm a bit slow, but the significance of the yellow occurred to me, they are new markings made by the logging company. Their markings coincide with mine. The clearcut was already started once and then put off. I wonder if China is buying wood chips again.



My new blower has already paid for itself.



Today, I need to finish my blue line then blowout the red skid trail to divide the burn in two. At 6 o'clock pm, with a southeast wind, I'm going to light up the blue line at the red X and proceed counterclockwise.



G

 

[George]

Sub 10% relative humidity at burn time made it a no burning doobies in the woods, let alone wildfires, kind of day.





The last 100- 200 yards of blue line turned into more than a blowjob, I'm in retreat.




G

 

[George]

G

 

[George]

Good Friday burn plan.



G