Flaming Invasive Weeds
Here is something for your 2006 Happy New Year!
Wildland weed flaming as a tool for combatting invasive noxious weeds in wildland settings.
The technique of flaming weeds as a form of weed abatement has been around a long time in agricultural settings but it is relatively new in wild landscapes or wildland habitat restorartion settings.
Typically in the ag fields, workers carry a small 2.4-gallon, 10-lb. capacity propane tank (aka cylinder) attached to a backpack and they flame unwanted weeds in the fields or around buildings, inside ashpalt crevices, etc. Tractors are also fitted with attachments that have many orifices along a "boom" and flames are emitted to kill or set back weeds as the tractor moves between crop rows, etc.
Flaming is an exciting wildland restoration tool because its a safe and fun technique to use and works best when it is raining or very wet out. This provides a great alternative to herbicides but just on rainy days. Propane flaming kits are available that use either liquid withdrawal or vapor withdrawal systems and a variety of torches and propane cylinders.
Much of what we know about flaming invasive has been provided by Ken Moore who has an excellent write-up on safety and how to operate flaming equipment at http://www.wildwork.org/webdocs/Flame_Weed_Control.pdf.
Below are more photos of flaming for your new year palate.
Enjoy a flaming new year!
p.s. Even more cool flaming photos on are stored at www.chuckhaugenconservationfund.org If you want to check them out just visit the homepage and click on photos then click on the "So cool!" Flaming weed photo set.