Firewood

[3] For most of human history, firewood was the main fuel, until the use of coal spread during the Industrial Revolution.

[5] As late as 19th century America, Thoreau considered that it was “remarkable what a value is still put upon wood even in this age and this country...the prince and the peasant, the scholar and the savage, equally require still a few sticks from the forest to warm them and cook their food”.

Other places may integrate the collection of firewood in the cycle of preparing a plot of land to grow food as part of a field rotation process.

Standing dead timber is considered better still, for it has less humid organic material on the trunk, allowing tools to stay sharper longer, as well as being both seasoned and less rotten.

Thus, longer pieces, requiring less manual labour, and less chainsaw fuel – are less expensive and only limited by the size of the firebox.

Buying and burning firewood that was cut only a short distance from its final destination prevents the accidental spread of invasive tree-killing insects and diseases.

The excessive demand for fuel wood places immense pressure on forest resources, leading to the depletion of woodlands and the disruption of delicate ecosystems.

Furthermore, deforestation exacerbates climate change by releasing carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.

[10] Here are some common uses of fuel wood in Nigeria: In most parts of the world, firewood is only prepared for transport at the time it is harvested.

Another method is to use a kinetic log splitter, which uses a rack and pinion system powered by a small motor and a large flywheel used for energy storage.

Whether split, or in 'rounds' (flush-cut and unsplit segments of logs), the wood should be stacked lengthwise, which is the most stable and practical method.

Storing firewood indoors for any extended period of time is not recommended, for it increases the risk of introducing insects such as termites into the home.

A traditional holz hausen has a 10-foot diameter, stands 10 feet high, and holds about 6 cords of wood.

The top pieces are tilted slightly outward to shed rain and are placed bark side up.

[21] Here are some examples of energy content of several species of wood: To reduce the drying time to a number of days from the normal one to three years, an external heating source such as a kiln or oven can be used.

The process of kiln or oven drying firewood was invented by Anthony Cutara, for which a successful US patent was filed in 1983.

[22] In 1987 the US Department of Agriculture replicated the method and published a detailed procedure for the production of kiln dried firewood, citing the higher heat output and increased combustion efficiency as a key benefit of the process.

While a specific volume term may be used, there can be a wide variation in what this means and what the measure can produce as a fuel.

[26] In the metric system, firewood is usually sold by the stère, equivalent to a volume of 1 cubic meter (0.276 cord).