Backyard incinerators

[matthew1]

Did any other cities have these besides Denver?

They were a 1940s-1950s thing, possibly before that also. My grandparent's house (1957, Denver) had one.

I haven't seen a standing/original placement incinerator for years. I'm fairly sure the 1960s or 70s saw a ban on burning trash. My mom remembers her dad using the incinerator weekly or so.

Surprisingly, I can find almost nothing about them on the Web. It's one of the very, very rare items I can't find info on.

These are discarded incinerators in backyards near me. Even evidence like this is rare now. But circumstantial evidence of their existence is still common in the form of backyard sidewalks that ended at these incinerators. You'll see old concrete abutting new concrete. I'll get a photo of that in my backyard today or tomorrow and post it.

Don't ask me why this topic occupies about 1% of my mind. I don't know either.

These photos are from a spot in an alley near my house.

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[BlackBart]

Wow, no, I have not seen those. Every house burning trash?? Crazy talk.

[volvolugnut]

Semi random thoughts on burning:
As a child in rural Kansas, my parents would burn their trash in a 55 gallon barrel with both ends cut out. They would wait until after rain or snow and then take out the trash and burn it. They got county wide trash pickup maybe 20 years ago.

I have read of people burning leaves in the fall in their yards. I think my neighbors used to do this maybe 20 years ago. I think open burning is now banned in my town.

My inlaws lived in Denver and had a fireplace in their home. Maybe in the 1990s Denver area banned using fireplaces because of pollution.

Often in dry periods (like right now), there is a general burn ban in my county. Open fires are prohibited. Even welding and torch cutting is discouraged outside because of wild fire danger. A fire spotter is required and means to quickly put out any fire started.

In farming and ranching areas (at least in Kansas), burning pastures in the spring is an approved practice for effect range management. The dry grass of the previous years provides enough fuel to burn any small trees or brush that has started to grow. If allowed to grow the brush can force out the grass. If extremely dry grass and wind are expected, fires are not started. Uncontrolled fires have burned thousands of acres in some areas.

volvolugnut

[abscate]

We have burn bans during dry spells upstate , but it’s strictly vegetable matter, no garbage allowed.

Ceremonial fires are allowed, so the Church of the Yellow Cat still gathers dutifully each weekend.

[matthew1]

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