Woodchip fire risk?

[kamloops]

ive got a heap of 40+ ton of woodchip. We dried it a couple of weeks ago and then moved it into store. It’s now heating up and steaming at the peaks and wet on the peaks.
I’ve seen it before with chip we have bought in but I’m concerned of a fire risk. Could it self combust?
It’s pretty warm if you dig your arm into the heap but not so warm it’s unbearable to keep it there?

I’ve taken some advice and he’s said that although the chip feels dry to look at and touch the wood chips will still have some moisture inside... hence the composting effect.

 

[renewablejohn]

Spread it around and keep it less than 3 mtrs deep. Even professionals get it wrong. Any doubt whatsoever get it out the store. Moving burning chip is not recommended.

 

[Kidds]

Yes it could set on fire, I would go so far as to say it probably will if you don’t move it.

 

[Still Farming]

Self heating will ignite -take care

 

[A1an]

after drying it did you blow cooler air through them?

if put in to a store whilst warm the hot air rising from within the pile will exit as steam on cooler days giving the impression that the pile is heating itself.

self combustion usually occurs due to the product decomposing, id have thought there wouldnt be much decomposing after a couple of weeks.

did the material have a high bark content? Bark seems to break down quicker than the 'white wood' inside.

 

[woodworm]

ive got a heap of 40+ ton of woodchip. We dried it a couple of weeks ago and then moved it into store. It’s now heating up and steaming at the peaks and wet on the peaks.
I’ve seen it before with chip we have bought in but I’m concerned of a fire risk. Could it self combust?
It’s pretty warm if you dig your arm into the heap but not so warm it’s unbearable to keep it there?

I’ve taken some advice and he’s said that although the chip feels dry to look at and touch the wood chips will still have some moisture inside... hence the composting effect.

Highly unlikely if you have already taken some of the moisture out of it. We used to build huge (football pitch sized) heaps of chip (including the needles/leaves) which would heat up far more than your plain chip and never had one catch fire. If you are really unsure stick a thermometer in there, the critical temperature is 70 degrees C. Once it gets over that you need to be concerned but if you can hold your arm in there its no where near that.

 

[farmerfred86]

after drying it did you blow cooler air through them?

if put in to a store whilst warm the hot air rising from within the pile will exit as steam on cooler days giving the impression that the pile is heating itself.

self combustion usually occurs due to the product decomposing, id have thought there wouldnt be much decomposing after a couple of weeks.

did the material have a high bark content? Bark seems to break down quicker than the 'white wood' inside.

I had cold air through it and had no residual heat when moved. It has sat in the new location for a couple of weeks and now has steam and wet areas on the peaks.... Yes lots of bark amonst the chip probably isnt helping.

I think with the colder weather today it may be more obvious. Also I've had to pile it high to get it into store... one spot is 6m high.

I might try to put a "hot spot" grain spear in to draw some heat out?

 

[A1an]

Personally I wouldn't be concerned after just a couple of weeks.

I get exactly the same with our chip.

 

[renewablejohn]

Depth is your problem. By the time you get a high reading on a 1mtr spear on a 6 mtr pile the base of the pile is already on fire. You dont have that problem with 3 mtr.

 

[kamloops]

So we’ve reduced the height of the stock pile and put 2 screw in “hot spot” spears that we use in the wheat. They’ve done a marvellous job and now everything is back to normal. Highest temp out of the fan was 50C!!!

I genuinely think if I had left it for a month it would have run away with me and self combusted!

 

[e3120]

Peace of mind is priceless.

 

[renewablejohn]

So we’ve reduced the height of the stock pile and put 2 screw in “hot spot” spears that we use in the wheat. They’ve done a marvellous job and now everything is back to normal. Highest temp out of the fan was 50C!!!

I genuinely think if I had left it for a month it would have run away with me and self combusted!

Sounds good just dont be tempted to pile it high again. If we start running out of room we use IBC containers and stack them 5 high with no risk of combustion..

 

[Henarar]

you should have got some green elm, that would more likely put a fire out

 

[tomlad]

chip is funny stuff , id a pile out side , dumped scrap , it got alight , hose pipe on it .... it took weeks to stop getting hot again ,
i was stuck for space wen a tree fella mate needed to dump a load , so we tipped next to a bonfire that had gone out , only warm , it ull be fine .....NO it wont
that was fine damp chip .
smoke coming up and glowing chimneys for weeks . only about 1m deep .
not my finest plan