Frank J. Buchman

Cowboy • Horseman • Writer

Blaze Not Best Use Of Downed Timber

Brush piles went up in flames.

Seemed wasteful when we struck the matches, and fire destroyed thousands of trees that had been cut out of the pasture and fence rows.

It was part of a major cleanup project as the intruders had been cleared to make way for new fence and to improve grazing land.

Several of the burned heaps had been there since late last summer. A number of the hedge trees dated three-quarters of a century, so they were suitable for cutting into corner posts, which was done at the time the trees were felled.

While we have burned considered wood for home heat in the past, we have no desire to do that anymore. However, there are a number of people in the community who burn wood, so we offered several of them the opportunity to cut firewood conveniently out of the stacks. Only a couple took us up on the offer.

So, we moved forward to clean up the brush, and burning it was the only efficient way we knew how.

Brush piles are scattered in a number of pastures in the area, and we still have several major heaps on some of our own land that we haven’t gotten around to cleaning up.

Too late now, but sure seems a misuse destroying what should have value. Some of the trees had been growing a lifetime and went up in a second as a puff of smoke.

Firewood, line posts, construction lumber, wood shavings, erosion control in wash areas, use in making paper and cardboard, and wildlife habitat are just a sampling that comes to mind readily of what would seem to be possible uses for the downed trees.

With all the talk about “going green” by better utilization of natural resources, those trees that many of us think are nuisances surely have more value than we and others seem to find for them.

Can’t help but be reminded of Isaiah 9:18: “This wickedness is like a brush fire. Its burning sends up clouds of smoke.

Yet, we feel reprieve in Second Chronicles 7:3: “All the sons, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the Lord, bowed down, worshiped and gave praise to the Lord, saying, ‘Truly, He is good, truly His loving kindness is everlasting.’”

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