Death of the Ash

This post is not in any way meant to celebrate the forthcoming slaughter of the ash trees across the country as the dreaded die back fungus takes hold. The sad prospect of large numbers of trees being felled and then burned does prompt a question or two about what will happen to the wood. Does it have to be burned under controlled conditions? If so, what are they? Or will there be a sudden glut of ash firewood on the market? If the wood from trees felled to beat (some hope) the fungus does make it to market, will wood-burner makers see a sudden upsurge in business with prices for the fuel falling?

We have been given a portion of our neighbour's ash that came down recently, only fair as it came down on our nearly new shed. It is usable when green supposedly, though we intend other than with kindling to leave it  until next year's burning season. And it splits really easily, even huge slices across the bottom part of the trunk can be broken down with a few lusty blows of my somewhat blunt axe. Our greenhouse, empty at this time of year of plants, is currently full of netting sacks full of the wood in a variety of thicknesses, from chunks that will burn for an hour to kindling via firewood sticks, the hope being that the wood dries more quickly in there. It's an ill wind and all that.

Wood Burning

I'm not sure how environmentally friendly or otherwise our woodburner is. It's one suitable for smokeless zones, so is very efficient - hardly any ash and not much smoke. The alternative is gas or electricity that is generated by goodness knows what methods - though we do pay the tiny premium for ostensibly green power. And a tree left on the earth would rot in the long term and produce plenty of gases without warming us up.

In full money-saver mode I refuse to buy kindling. A sack of this costs about £5 from garages and shops, if I take 10 minutes and a sharp axe I can make the same amount, and generally thinner so it lights better, using only a couple of pieces of wood that cost maybe 50p between them.

This morning we had a fire in the burner to cheer Monday breakfast and warm the place up, the temperature has dropped a few degrees in the last couple of days. I must admit that as well as the practical immediate economic benefits - we have lots of trees whose trimmings are dried for burning - I had an eye to future unrest in the world when I suggested buying it. Private Eye seems to be the only publication pointing out that unless the politicians get their fingers out and rapidly the lights are going to go out in the next few years. And if push comes to shove I reckon I could cook on it - one pot stuff, quick fried or, with a heat diffuser, slower stews. What a depressing thought, but one I would guess I am not alone in having.

When the lights do go out how will the politicians cope? In the most creative and useful way they know - blaming the other side, using researchers to dig out 10 year old pronouncements to prove their fatuous cases. David Cameron will be able to burn some of his money, and as everything beyond Oxford and Westminster is outside his experience Ed Milliband will have to ask his team what fire is for. Nick Clegg will look worried and nod a lot.