Dead Birch Tree (Widow Maker) Falling Down - Need Suggestions

[Sally PB]

Glad it all went according to plan.

 

[cavemanrich]

I as gong to suggest the Diesel soaking of stump. But you already know that method.
It is best you just burned everything, rather than trying to figure out another practical purpose/use

 

[gtaus]

I was going to suggest the Diesel soaking of stump. But you already know that method.

The only thing I don't like is that it works best to put fresh oil/diesel on a couple times a day and let it soak in for a number of days. Then the soaked wood burns great. It takes a bit of patience to wait those days. But then that old stump should burn like a candle.

I have successfully burned out 2 or 3 other stumps this summer using the oil/diesel mix method. I need to burn out this stump well below ground level because in the case of this stump, the ground has mound up around it maybe 6 inches higher than the lawn. I need to burn out a good hollow in the stump to level off that dirt mound.

 

[gtaus]

Glad it all went according to plan.

I'm glad I asked for suggestions. My original plan was to just use the chainsaw to cut the tree and run like heck when it started falling down! On a normal tree, that is not a problem.

But this tree was all rotted out which made it more of a challenge - not knowing when or where it might actually fall. Using the tow straps and making a few shallow cuts with the chainsaw made the process much safer for me. You guys helped me out on this one and my plans were improved for a much safer tree felling.

 

[gtaus]

Update on burning that punky wood: I tried to burn a stack of that punky wood today. I doused it with diesel/gas mixture and let it soak in for a while. Then about half an hour later, I lit the fire. Unfortunately, the wood did not burn good at all.

It only slowly smoldered with no real flames to speak of. No way am I going to waste all my time and effort trying to burn that rotted wood. I thought my stack of wood on top of the stump would burn out in maybe half an hour, but after 3 hours not much was burned and I had to leave it for the night.

I'll check tomorrow to see if it finished burning down to the stump. But it sure would take a long time to burn the rest of the tree that way. My new plan is to load up that punky wood and toss it in a big wood pile I have in the tall grass and let nature break it down over years.

Instead of burning out the stump, I might have to chop it up with an axe and use a shovel and/or landscaping bar to remove the stump. The stump is all rotted, so it should be easier to chop out than a normal stump from a healthy tree.

FWIW, I did a little research online to find out why the punky wood would not burn - only smolder slowly in the fire ring. I don't normally burn rotted wood, so I had no idea why it was only smoldering. Keep in mind our humidity level this past week has been over 75%, very high. Here is the response I got...

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That smoldering, low-flame behavior is very typical of rotted wood, and it’s rooted in both moisture content and structural degradation. Birch, especially when punky or decayed, becomes a sponge for ambient moisture—even if it feels light or dry to the touch.

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Why Rotted Wood Smolders Instead of Burns​

1. High Moisture Content​

• Rotted wood often holds 50–70% moisture, even if it feels dry on the surface.
• Fungi and bacteria break down the wood’s structure, leaving behind a spongy matrix that traps water.
• When burned, most of the energy goes into evaporating moisture, not producing heat.

2. Low Density = Low BTU Output​

• As decay progresses, the wood loses its lignin and cellulose, which are the fuel-rich components.
• Less density means fewer British Thermal Units (BTUs)—so even if it ignites, it won’t sustain a flame.

3. Poor Combustion = Smoke and Creosote​

• Incomplete combustion leads to smoke, smoldering, and creosote buildup in your chimney or flue.
• This not only reduces heat output but can also pose a fire hazard over time.

4. Health Risks​

• Burning rotted wood can release fungal spores, mildew, and bacteria into the air, which may irritate your respiratory system.
• It’s especially risky indoors or for people with asthma or allergies.

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What You Can Do​

• Use it as kindling only if it’s dry enough and mixed with solid hardwood.
• Avoid burning it indoors, especially in stoves or fireplaces.
• Check with a moisture meter—ideal firewood should be below 20% moisture.
• If you’re burning outdoors, make sure there’s good airflow and dry fuel to support combustion.

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[The Yardbird Life]

Your trying to light a mushroom on fire. The cellulose and lignin has broken down and it's become a big fungal mat. Like trying to burn dirt.

 

[saysfaa]

If you still want to burn it if you could do it cleanly - a rocket stove would probably do it without petroleum to help. I built one with a dozen or so cement blocks lined with fire bricks to make maple syrup. The fire bricks are expensive and not necessary for short term use. In the long term, the heat breaks down the cement blocks.

You would have to use some dry wood too. Certainly to get the stove heated up to get it started and some along with the punky wood. Having run a rocket stove, I don't think it would take much dry along with the punky. I put some punky wood through it along with some snow-covered dry wood and some plain dry wood.

 

[saysfaa]

Punky wood burns like peat or buffalo pies burn... it burns if it is dry to start with or if it is put in a fire that is kept hot enough to evaporate the moisture fast enough that the fire doesn't go out. It burns cleanly if the fire is kept hot enough to fully combust the fuel. Then all that is vented is carbon dioxide and steam.

 

[gtaus]

Your trying to light a mushroom on fire. The cellulose and lignin has broken down and it's become a big fungal mat. Like trying to burn dirt.

Yep, it smoldered for a couple of days but now it is out and cold. Only about half the punky wood I put on the stump was actually burned. It was like trying to burn dirt.

If you still want to burn it if you could do it cleanly - a rocket stove would probably do it without petroleum to help.

Well, I'm not going to build a rocket stove to burn out a stump. But the concept of forcing air into the fire works. I have a leaf blower, and I hit the smoldering wood with it for a few minutes. The punky wood got glowing red hot and started to flame. But the flames would die out as soon as I stopped forcing air into the fire ring.

Punky wood burns like peat or buffalo pies burn... it burns if it is dry to start with or if it is put in a fire that is kept hot enough to evaporate the moisture fast enough that the fire doesn't go out.

I ended up making 4 or 5 trips filling up my tow behind wagon and dumping the punky wood laying on the ground in a pile on the edge of my property - out by the tall grass. I still have some oil/diesel mixture to continue to soak the tree stump, so I pushed aside the unburned punky wood in the fire ring and started resoaking that stump. I'll pick up some fallen branches and loose wood off the lawn and toss it into the fire ring. That wood should burn fine, and I'll just stack the punky wood left in the fire ring on top of the fresh wood. That should finish burning all that rotted wood. If not, I have other firewood I could use to keep the burn ring hot and burn out that rotted stump. Well, at least to point where I can probably chop the stump out in chunks below ground level and then back fill the hole.

I had never tried burning rotted, punky wood before. So, everything from felling the rotted tree to trying to burn the punky wood was a learning experience for me.

I have built all my hügelkultur raised garden beds for the year, but I think that punky wood would have been best used in a raised bed. It's already like a giant sponge. At this point, I don't see any ants or termites in the wood. Probably nothing left for them to eat and/or live on. If I make another hügelkultur raised garden bed next year, I can get that punky wood from the pile and use it.

 

[saysfaa]

Yep, the high air flow is only part of why rocket stoves work.