Burning leaves 101

I am one of those people that when fall rolls around gets sick. Don't get me wrong, I love fall. I love the leaves but I would like to just wallop people who burn leaves. Why you might ask. Asthma is my reason. I am sure there are people out there with COPD and or emphysema and bronchitis that also hate leaf burners.

I live out in the country. In the spring everyone in this county sets anything that will burn on fire. Mostly ditches that can not be mowed. In the fall it is leaves. Here is the deal. A fire needs the following in order to burn. Fuel, oxygen and something to start it oh say a match. Lets start with fuel, in this case leaves. Just because they fell off of the tree does not mean that they are dry enough to burn. Oxygen is obviously available, and how hard is it to find a match? The leaves will probably light but they will just smolder. Smoldering equals SMOKE people. Smoke is the big problem. I can not be around smoke. My throat closes up, I start to wheeze and cough, it is not fun. Why does this happen you ask? The leaves are not dry. So here is what I want you to do. Let the leaves dry before you try and burn them. When they are dry, like when you pick one up, squeeze it and it crumples into pieces they are dry enough to burn. Stir them up so that they will all burn and when the pile is down to the smoking part, put it out. Please don't let the pile just smolder all night or all day long. Actually in Indiana, any fire burning after dark must be attended at all times. Are you going to stand or sit out there and watch the fire smolder all night? I'll bet you won't.

You know you can go over the leaves with your lawn mower and then rake and put them in your compost pile. No smoke involved in composting. Even if you chop them up and leave them on the grass they will decompose and fertilize your lawn without having to put all that chemical crap on there to leach down into the water supply.

I have not been able to figure out yet how to add a link: http://tillandsias.home.att.net/Leafburning.htm See if that works. I also put a link on Facebook. It just is not good for people to put that smoke in the air. Think of all the little kids that want to go out and play but can't because someone in the neighborhood is burning and it triggers their asthma or bronchitis. Or maybe your retired neighbor who is on oxygen because of his breathing problems. Please find another way to dispose of your yard waste than burning. It would just be a nice thing to do, don't you think? More later.