[upthesaukee]

With today's snow, I was once again reminded how important it is to properly dispose of my woodstove ashes. Before the storm started, I took the bucket that is in the photo, and moved it close to the tree from about 10 or 15 feet out into the driveway. I last emptied the ashes yesterday morning, and the temperatures have been in the teens and twenties since then.

The snow started this morning around 7 or 730, and as it winding on down now at nearly 200PM, as you can see there is no snow on top of the bucket. It has melted as the snow fell, and there is only water, standing water, on the top of the bucket. The bucket is still warm to the touch, not hot, but warm to the touch.

Here in the lakes region, I would estimate there is a house fire each week, or at least every two weeks caused by improper disposal of woodstove ashes, either by newspaper account, TV or radio reports, or via the scanner.

Just a good visual indication of how important it is to carefully dispose of woodstove ashes. They will stay dangerously hot for many hours. Keep the lid securely fastened.