Day 2 - Beehive

A Beehive Wood Burner, no longer in use. The shape and the photo opportunities within and without this oddly shaped structure are beyond belief. I have at least 90 photos that I took within maybe 30 minutes. There is a photo book of these shot by a young architect couple, one of my favorite image books. Now I need to make my own - I truly never thought I would see one as they are so rare. And there it was sitting in the middle of high desert valley in a crossroads called Seneca, Oregon. When I get home maybe I will really make a connection to some of the best from this trip.

I am pasting in a piece from Wikipedia. And there is a cool ruin posted from yesterday. The next opportunity for internet is likely two days away. It really is remote out here, which is quite cool. Folks are plain folks, no more no less. We like it, reminds us of our Idaho years.

A wood waste burner, known as a teepee burner or wigwam burner in the United States and a beehive burner in Canada, is a free-standing conical steel structure ranging from 30 to 60 feet in height. They are named for their resemblance to beehives, teepees or wigwams. A sawdust burner is cylindrical. They have an opening at the top that is covered with a steel grill or mesh to keep sparks and glowing embers from escaping. Sawdust and wood scraps are delivered to an opening near the top of the cone by means of a conveyor belt or Archimedes' screw, whereupon they fall onto the fire near the center of the structure.

Teepee or beehive burners are used to dispose of waste wood in logging yards and sawdust from sawmills by burning. As a result they produce a large quantity of smoke and ash, which is vented directly into the atmosphere without any sort of scrubbing or cleaning, contributing to poor air conditions wherever they are used. The burners are considered to be a major source of air pollution and are being phased out in most areas.