Dave Seng
03-16-2021, 9:26 AM
This morning, as per my usual routine, after feeding the dogs and cat, I went out to the shop to build a fire in the wood stove. Again, per my usual routine, I shovel the ashes from the previous day's fire into a METAL bucket. I've gotten lazy and don't always put the lid on the bucket. So, as I reached over to pull the bucket closer to the stove to put yesterday's ashes in it, this morning I noticed that the bucket was warm. Strangely warm. A little digging around in the bucket with a bare hand (yeah, I'm a fireman, I should know better!) revealed that the bucket of ashes wasn't just warm, there was hot stuff in there! I quickly used the ash shovel to dig around further into the bucket - Yep, sure as shooting - there were hot ashes and coals!
The only thing that I can think of is that YESTERDAY morning - a hot coal got put into the bucket along with the rest of the ashes. And it smoldered for 24 hours in the ashes and coals in the bucket. The METAL bucket. Without me noticing - and I was in the shop for 4 or 5 hours yesterday.
So - for those of you that have a wood stove, or those that may in the future, ashes go into a fire proof container - and keep the lid on it when you're not filling it or emptying it. Fire is always hungry for air.
The only thing that I can think of is that YESTERDAY morning - a hot coal got put into the bucket along with the rest of the ashes. And it smoldered for 24 hours in the ashes and coals in the bucket. The METAL bucket. Without me noticing - and I was in the shop for 4 or 5 hours yesterday.
So - for those of you that have a wood stove, or those that may in the future, ashes go into a fire proof container - and keep the lid on it when you're not filling it or emptying it. Fire is always hungry for air.