WOOD BURNING IN DENVER FOOTHILLS - WHATTSUP?

[Martin Strand III]

I may relocate to the Denver foothills at an average elevation of 7200' or so. I am aware of burning restrictions in counties around Denver at elevations below 7000'. What is the wood supply (hard v soft) and wood stove burning situation in the foothills regarding limitations/restrictions?

Aye,
Marty
Grandpa used to say, "A rolling stone gathers no moss." and "When your boat is on the hard, stay in the mountains."

 

[ROBERT F]

Well, if your cuttin wood yourself, lots of softwood conifers. but if your buying wood, well anything is available if you dont mind paying the price. And yes, they have "red" burn days, but very little money for inforcement. They rely on neighbors ratting you out.

 

[Martin Strand III]

With towns foothill like Evergreen, Pine and Conifer, I understand what grows at 7000'.

Maybe I'll look for a town like Oakville, Ashland or Maple City at a lower altitude.

As far a rattin' neighbors, I plan to burn so clean to be 'invisible'.

Aye,
Marty

 

[Adam_MA]

Why the restrictions?

 

[ROBERT F]

Why the restrictions?

smog, particulates, stuff like that. 60 miles south of that big ole city is colorado springs, and they dont even due emmisions testing on auto's down there. denver has some pretty dirty air on some days though.

 

[Martin Strand III]

Why the restrictions?

PM10's, PM2.5's (the itty bitty really nasty little guys), and, yeah, smog (other pollutants from not burning "clean").

How can a city, like Colorado Springs, "in good conscience" regulate/restrict wood burning with and air force base just outside town?

I'd like to see a study comparing eco-damage and air pollution from 3 sources:
1) Residential wood burning
2) Non-military commercial industrial (factories, commercial air carriers, etc) pollution
3) Military vehicle/industrial pollution (for aircraft, naval, and land side)

Wanna bet the little guy; i.e., 1) is getting hosed in the restriction/regulation department?

Aye,
Marty

 

[mike1234]

Lived there most of my life, don't think we ever burned anything but pine while growing up in suburbs, had one really good chimney fire to prove it. I don't believe that there is any firewood available except pine (with the odd exception of cottonwood and aspen now and them).
The way Denver and burbs are situated, it can sock in the pollution and keep it close to the ground in certain weather, so wood burning ban is probably not a bad thing. You might burn clean, but what about the guy next door with the old stove, or just using his fireplace?
With all of the beetle kill, there should be an unlimited supply of pine.
When we lived in conifer there was no burning ban, but I think there is one in evergreen.
Beautiful place to live, but now a days, way too many people (for my liking).

I may relocate to the Denver foothills at an average elevation of 7200' or so. I am aware of burning restrictions in counties around Denver at elevations below 7000'. What is the wood supply (hard v soft) and wood stove burning situation in the foothills regarding limitations/restrictions?

Aye,
Marty
Grandpa used to say, "A rolling stone gathers no moss." and "When your boat is on the hard, stay in the mountains."

 

[rphurley]

Why the restrictions?

smog, particulates, stuff like that. 60 miles south of that big ole city is colorado springs, and they dont even due emmisions testing on auto's down there. denver has some pretty dirty air on some days though.

They restrict burning, but don't do auto emissions testing? Does that make sense?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

With towns foothill like Evergreen, Pine and Conifer, I understand what grows at 7000'.

Maybe I'll look for a town like Oakville, Ashland or Maple City at a lower altitude.

As far a rattin' neighbors, I plan to burn so clean to be 'invisible'.

Aye,
Marty

Marty, the trouble with that theory is that you will still see lots of smoke every time you add wood or when first building a fire.

 

[Martin Strand III]

With towns foothill like Evergreen, Pine and Conifer, I understand what grows at 7000'.

Maybe I'll look for a town like Oakville, Ashland or Maple City at a lower altitude.

As far a rattin' neighbors, I plan to burn so clean to be 'invisible'.

Aye,
Marty

Marty, the trouble with that theory is that you will still see lots of smoke every time you add wood or when first building a fire.

Grandma used to say, "If you're not tryin', you're dyin'."

Aye, Marty

 

[Martin Strand III]

Lived there most of my life, don't think we ever burned anything but pine while growing up in suburbs, had one really good chimney fire to prove it. I don't believe that there is any firewood available except pine (with the odd exception of cottonwood and aspen now and them).
The way Denver and burbs are situated, it can sock in the pollution and keep it close to the ground in certain weather, so wood burning ban is probably not a bad thing. You might burn clean, but what about the guy next door with the old stove, or just using his fireplace?
With all of the beetle kill, there should be an unlimited supply of pine.
When we lived in conifer there was no burning ban, but I think there is one in evergreen.
Beautiful place to live, but now a days, way too many people (for my liking).

I may relocate to the Denver foothills at an average elevation of 7200' or so. I am aware of burning restrictions in counties around Denver at elevations below 7000'. What is the wood supply (hard v soft) and wood stove burning situation in the foothills regarding limitations/restrictions?

Aye,
Marty
Grandpa used to say, "A rolling stone gathers no moss." and "When your boat is on the hard, stay in the mountains."

Thanks, Mike. Your comments are helpful.

What's a mountain man doing in Kansas?

Aye,
Marty

 

[jadm]

I live in a suburb of Denver and have an EPA insert so I can burn even on 'red' days and I even have a note from the dealer saying so! :lol:

I live next door to a man who works for the EPA and my son's best friend's mother works for them too. Both very aware of what I do and never a peep out of them although I was a bit nervous (for about 5 years) whenever I would start up a fire or re load....

I burn mixed hardwoods that I order from a tree company - they are paid to cut down trees and then they save them. Split them in the winter and sell as firewood.

Some tree companies will let you fill up a pick up with rounds and only charge 15.00 a load.

I also use pine - free from a neighbor and a friend of my husbands - to get a new fire going. Mixed hardwoods run around 225.00 a cord. Last time I checked oak was selling for 400.00 a cord!! (Have to ship it in hence the elevated cost.)

Lots in the mountains burn. Down here not many burn on a regular basis. Use gas fireplaces instead.

 

[ROBERT F]

Denver seems to hold the smog in close in certain weather, Colorado Springs is a little more windy. So the actual city of Colorada Springs stays mostly smog free. Recently Colorada has had a rather large influx of people, wich stinks cause its changing into a different type of place, loosing some of its luster I will say. So you can imagine that there will be plenty more resrictions on the way.

 

[mike1234]

Moved to Lawrence, Kansas 18 years ago for a job, but when that job ended I forgot to go back. Just have learned to really like it here, and I have 3 kids at Kansas University (in Lawrence), well 2 of them graduated this week, so down to 1, and 1 after him.
When I visit my parents in Denver burbs, or friends in Frisco, it's just so crowded now, I don't really enjoy it - but I'm sure if I moved back there I would get used to it. I do miss the mountains, backpacking, and skiing. I grew up in burbs, but lived in Vail (for 2 months, could not afford it), leadville (snowed on 4th of July one year), evergreen, conifer, and golden. Favorite places were evergreen or conifer for the mountains, but never liked the drive to and from Denver.

There is a very cool house / ranch in evergreen for sale (as of last summer), go up past the high school, just keep going (past 3 sisters park), it's very cool, lots of woods around, beautiful views. (It was kinda pricey, but everything up there is).

Lived there most of my life, don't think we ever burned anything but pine while growing up in suburbs, had one really good chimney fire to prove it. I don't believe that there is any firewood available except pine (with the odd exception of cottonwood and aspen now and them).
The way Denver and burbs are situated, it can sock in the pollution and keep it close to the ground in certain weather, so wood burning ban is probably not a bad thing. You might burn clean, but what about the guy next door with the old stove, or just using his fireplace?
With all of the beetle kill, there should be an unlimited supply of pine.
When we lived in conifer there was no burning ban, but I think there is one in evergreen.
Beautiful place to live, but now a days, way too many people (for my liking).

I may relocate to the Denver foothills at an average elevation of 7200' or so. I am aware of burning restrictions in counties around Denver at elevations below 7000'. What is the wood supply (hard v soft) and wood stove burning situation in the foothills regarding limitations/restrictions?

Aye,
Marty
Grandpa used to say, "A rolling stone gathers no moss." and "When your boat is on the hard, stay in the mountains."

Thanks, Mike. Your comments are helpful.

What's a mountain man doing in Kansas?

Aye,
Marty

 

[precaud]

I live in a suburb of Denver and have an EPA insert so I can burn even on 'red' days and I even have a note from the dealer saying so! :lol:

That makes sense. EPA-cert'ed stoves are exempt from the no-burn days. That's the case in Albuquerque just south of here.