On Sunday we burned our home of 6 years to the ground to make room for the new home we will build this summer. Billy and Brenda came over the night before to help take out the big window which was the last remaining task before the burn. It was a heavy mother%&$## and nearly took us off the scaffold but thanks to Billy we got it out and down safe and sound. We learned the night before that the fire department was not coming out, something about permits which is strange considering they had 3 weeks notice but find out the day before they need them and won’t be able to get them in time. No matter; we decided to burn it ourselves.
It had rained the previous 3 days so we felt confident it was wet enough to prevent a forest fire! Christine, Nora and Levi came over the night before and spent the night to help out and watch on Sunday so at 10am I doused the inside of the house with 4 gallons of gasoline, stapled a rag to a broom, it that and tossed it in the house. There was a big WHOOOSH and lots of flame and black smoke but it all just burned out and did not ignite the house. So we then built a campfire in the back of the house in the corner where the back wall met the wall dividing the two back rooms and this did the trick igniting the posts and the particle board sheathing and a fire we had!!! Then it was just monitoring the fire, putting out small little hot spots and dousing a tree that was too close.
Colleen suggested I give a beam perched precariously on a perch a whack with my ax and the whole front of the house fell into the fire and 3 hours later there was nothing but ash left.
Watch Our House Burn!
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