Started An Early Shoulder Season Fire

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Temps are getting down to 55 tonight. Just lit a fire at 10:00 p.m. after opening the windows. Of course, my Super Cedar got things started nicely followed by some pine 2X4 chunks. It rained earlier, so my logs are a little damp. Nothing that appears to be slowing down the flames.

This was a bottom-up fire. Still haven't tried the top down approach.
 
It will sure be nice to get the fire going again...but I am afraid it will be some time before I can light off that first small fire to clear the mosture.
Enjoy it....
 
Just rained after I started my fire. Log I just tossed in was wet, but my coal bed is already hot. Opened the air control all the way, and it will stoke the coals enough to dry that wet log in no time. I am burning an unknown hardwood. No oak for this fire tonight. Saving that stuff for December when shoulder season ends in these parts.
 
It will sure be nice to get the fire going again...but I am afraid it will be some time before I can light off that first small fire to clear the mosture.
Enjoy it....

I imagine Arkansas stays warmer much longer. Lows in the 50's almost every night for the next couple of days. Average low temp will be in the high 40's within 2 weeks. Once it gets into the low 40's, windows are fully sealed.
 
For the most part that is all I have here...shoulder season. My main wood I burn is Oak...I am glad I have some cherry and maple to put in the mix this year thou. Gotta get out and find some more...
 
If I built a fire in the house right now, my wife would punch me square in the face! As much as I love to burn, I will hold off until I absolutely HAVE to start burning. When the inside temps of the house hit 67 degrees (at around 10PM before we go to bed), then I will start thinking about building a fire. We'd need to have several overnight lows in the mid 40's and daytime highs in the mid 60's for that to happen. Then, the beloved shoulder season will begin!
 
High in the mid 60s yesterday and cloudy all day. I got home and the house was at 68 with the low supposed to be around 50. So, a got a 3-split fire going around 9:30 last night. Stove hit 300 after engaging the cat and stayed above 250 for a few hours. House got up to 73 and was 72 this morning. Perfect!

Doesn't look like we'll need another fire for at least a week. Really, I didn't need one last night but the stove has been calling me. So, why not?
 
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Been getting a bit cooler overnight, and the windows are still open.
Woke up this morning to 46 outside and the thermo next to my desk showed 57.8.
If the house got that chilly in the winter (almost never), I would have had a fire.
Maybe I should have shut the windows.:cool:
 
I'm usually good till the outside high temps dip into the 50's, that's when my shoulder season begins but there are some times when you just can't help yourself and you want fire.
 
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If I built a fire in the house right now, my wife would punch me square in the face! As much as I love to burn, I will hold off until I absolutely HAVE to start burning. When the inside temps of the house hit 67 degrees (at around 10PM before we go to bed), then I will start thinking about building a fire. We'd need to have several overnight lows in the mid 40's and daytime highs in the mid 60's for that to happen. Then, the beloved shoulder season will begin!

I lit one last night and left the windows open. It's 75.5 in here right now. Not too warm or too cool. I burned 4 pieces. The last one I threw on was a chunk of oak 10.5 hours ago. True to the Heritage nature, I have a warm stove top, but no usable coals. I wish I had a bigger firebox. Just maybe a .5 cubic foot larger. Not quite a Mansfield, but somewhere in between.

Shoulder season for me starts earlier becuase windows are opened. I would never burn in a closed environment for probably 2 more months.
 
If I built a fire in the house right now, my wife would punch me square in the face! As much as I love to burn, I will hold off until I absolutely HAVE to start burning. When the inside temps of the house hit 67 degrees (at around 10PM before we go to bed), then I will start thinking about building a fire. We'd need to have several overnight lows in the mid 40's and daytime highs in the mid 60's for that to happen. Then, the beloved shoulder season will begin!

Go have a small fire in your workshop with a few Yuenglings. I am extremely jealous of those who have access to Yuengling. I cannot get that where I live, and it is my favorite average priced beer.
 
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Heavy rain and thunderstorms last night and this morning. Good excuse for a fire. Cleaned up some 1-3 inch apple, beech amd hickory branches yesterday afternoon. Have been burning them since last night. Windows are open...have no idea about the outside temp (warm enough to walk to the gate with the Wheaten at 7 am wearing t-shirt and shorts, but its about 80 in here with the windows open. Stovetop around 300.
 
yeah way too early for me....several mornings it will be 45 -49 here next week.but its only for a few hours of the morning....so ill hold off for a while...im still running the central air during the day
 
Too early for me too, though it looks like a front will be coming through and knocking our night temps down to around 50F. We just close up the house around sunset and it holds the heat well enough until the sun warms it up in the morning.
 
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Too early for me too, though it looks like a front will be coming through and knocking our night temps down to around 50F. We just close up the house around sunset and it holds the heat well enough until the sun warms it up in the morning.

I understand. Still it's nice to have a few now and then. Doesn't use much wood.
 
I think we hold off as long as possible because it means the end of summer. With the first fire the response from my wife and son is "Already?".
 
You all need to grow some more hair! I couldnt Imagine lighting a fire at those temps. I just lit a "shoulder" burn when it hit 19 degrees this morning and was about 59 in the house when I woke up. Throw on a sweat shirt and some quality pants and yall are good to go!
 
Im really tempted because of the new insert, temps will be in the 40's at night this weekend and in the 50's the rest of the week at night.
 
Just rained after I started my fire. Log I just tossed in was wet, but my coal bed is already hot. Opened the air control all the way, and it will stoke the coals enough to dry that wet log in no time. I am burning an unknown hardwood. No oak for this fire tonight. Saving that stuff for December when shoulder season ends in these parts.

Why not save the oak until January when the real cold hits?

As for fires in the stove, it is still too warm for that. We had 60's and cloudy today and 40's tonight but we will not have a fire going yet.
 
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It's a cool 62 degrees here now, wife has the house all decorated for fall, baking a strawberry rhubarb pie so the house smells soo cozy.....boy I am REALLY tempted to start a fire. Just because!
 
You guys are all pushing it! My petunias are still in full bloom and hydrangea still blue as the sky. It was 85 here today with equal humidity. Hurricaine blowing through so they say -
My new stove is not coming until next Friday so could not burn inside if I wanted to. Over the years we tracked our first fires it it usually ran between Oct. 8th and Oct. 20th. Of course this year, will be earlier as I want to get the break in fires over with.
 
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My wifes wants a fire and i aim to please he he. Must..... learn....... new ...... stove.......
 
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Here's to hoping the weather prevents me from posting my own "first fire of the season" thread for another 6-8 weeks.

But for those that are burning already, glad you are warm!
 
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