Burning bylaws and briquettes?

[AndrewL]

Hi,
Turns out our local bylaws, (Victoria, Canada), do not allow any outside burning, ever, including "solid fuel burning devices", unless it is fueled by gas or briquettes.

Outdoor ovens, fireplaces, campfires, and wood heated hot-tubs(!) are BANNED,

Indoor ovens are OK. So maybe that is an option. Not sure I want to go with propane. Has anyone any experience heating a 42" oven with briquettes?

Comments on bylaws anywhere and your experience dealing with them are welcome.

[BeanAnimal]

I would assume that the law is aimed at preventing devastating fires. I suppose briquettes don't pose a flying ember risk like many wood products do. Those more experienced with these ovens should be able to provide more information, but I can't ssee why briquettes would not work. Afterall, that is what hardwood turns into as it burns.

[AndrewL]

I think the bylaws are designed to stop air pollution, from backyard refuse burning, in a highly urban environment. However, forest fires are also an issue here, and building is primarily wood construction, with lots of cedar shake roofs around.

Interesting that the Municipality next door, equally urban, will allow ovens as long as they have a latching door that is closed during use.

[Karangi Dude]

Hey AndrewL,
I used Heat Beads (Briquettes) to cure my oven I was putting in 1/2 a bag at a time for over 34 odd hours and the temps were only about 200c for the duration. Admittedly my oven is 48" a larger oven but that said I think you would need a small oven and a lot of briquettes to reach pizza temp if it's at all possible, I really think you need the heat from a flame to reach those temps.

Cheers Doug

[Les]

Andrew, will they allow you to burn coal? I think it burns hotter than briquettes and would be less expensive to use.

[GianniFocaccia]

How about getting a nice large pile of briquettes burning and add a few phantom logs on the pile? They will no doubt ignite quickly and burn quite efficiently with minimal (smoke) effect on the environment. The resulting calories could at least get your dome up to temp and the residual coals could be used to recharge your hearth.

[Lburou]

Build a pavilion, (read 'building'), with sides that open. You would be using an oven inside a building then. The transformer building could be quite a novel thing. Use you imagination

Or, you could move where the govt is less restrictive of your personal freedoms

[dmun]

You'll go broke burning briquettes. A twenty pound bag will disappear like snow in June.

[Lburou]

Originally Posted by dmun

You'll go broke burning briquettes. A twenty pound bag will disappear like snow in June.

If one believes what is said on this forum, you need the flames to keep the oven at pizza temperature, coals won't keep the temperature high enough to keep the oven floor in the 650-900 F range.

[Tscarborough]

Buy a kitchen oven that will crank to 700 or 750. /sarcasm on/ That way you can destroy the environment indirectly instead of directly. /sarcasm off/