My neighbors have been having fires in the yard now that the weather is nice, and every time they do, the smoke drifts over to our house and hangs around it in this thick, choking cloud. Around 10-11 at night it suddenly smells like the worst part of fire season, and we have to run around closing windows, but of course by then it's too late to keep the smoke out. I realized the other day that the reason it's so bad is they're not burning seasoned wood, just random wet/green stuff they pick up around the neighborhood. I need to go ask them to please please burn real firewood, but I don't know them at all, so it's very anxiety-inducing.
― Lily Dale, Tuesday, 22 June 2021 17:58 (two years ago) link
Didn't realize this was a non-ilx board until I posted, btw - I just searched "neighbors."
I mean non-ile board. You get the idea.
― Lily Dale, Tuesday, 22 June 2021 17:59 (two years ago) link
Try scripting out what you want to say in advance if that helps. I usually always have to do that in situations like these or I stammer a lot and can't have a conducive conversation.
It's a completely fair request. That kind of burn smell is rancid
― cancel culture club (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 22 June 2021 17:59 (two years ago) link
"we've noticed a lot of smoke at night, are you guys burning weeds or something?"
― Linda and Jodie Rocco (map), Tuesday, 22 June 2021 18:57 (two years ago) link
last part maybe too aggressive. "we've noticed a lot of smoke at night and wondering if you could do smaller fires"
― Linda and Jodie Rocco (map), Tuesday, 22 June 2021 18:58 (two years ago) link
or too passive-aggressive, as per thread title, lol
"wondering if you could burn less". ok i'm no good at this, lol. danny lavery would have a good script.
― Linda and Jodie Rocco (map), Tuesday, 22 June 2021 19:01 (two years ago) link
"hey guys so I couldn't help but notice that it SMELLS LIKE SHIT WILL YOU KNOCK IT THE FUCK OFF. thks"
― cancel culture club (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 22 June 2021 19:40 (two years ago) link
"Sorry but I'm having trouble breathing. Could you make it so I'm having less trouble breathing?"
― In my house are many Manchins (WmC), Tuesday, 22 June 2021 19:42 (two years ago) link
realized the other day that the reason it's so bad is they're not burning seasoned wood, just random wet/green stuff they pick up around the neighborhood
that sucks
― 《Myst1kOblivi0n》 (jim in vancouver), Tuesday, 22 June 2021 19:42 (two years ago) link
just from memory of my days in problematic YMCA group the "Indian Guides"* as a kid, I remember burning random shit like leaves, paper plates, plastic, etc, and the scent is enough to make you throw up.
*how was this shit allowed to exist i mean how
― cancel culture club (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 22 June 2021 19:45 (two years ago) link
luckily lumber is expensive enough that people won’t have many scraps to throw out because what if they were burning TREATED LUMBER
might be worth peeking to make sure and give them a fyi because burning pressure-treated lumber is just asking for death or at least arsenic poisoning
― mh, Tuesday, 22 June 2021 20:23 (two years ago) link
We used to heat our house by wood stove in the winter as a sorta last-ditch thing after our oil furnace gave out. It became so annoying to our neighbors (after taking delivery of a cord of underseasoned wood!) that they came over to me and said "hey, we're having trouble breathing over here..." I was embarrassed, but it was enough to propel me into action on finding a different heat source.
― peace, man, Tuesday, 22 June 2021 20:44 (two years ago) link
Wow it had never occurred to me that having a wood stove would be a hardship for one's neighbors. I mean...isn't that why chimneys have to be a certain height?? I quite like the smell of someone's fire in the cold air.
Anyway yeah a campfire on the ground is a different story. You should be able to as them to a) burn seasoned firewood, and b) possibly let you know a couple of days in and/or shoot you a text so you could close the windows? I mean, I'm a smoker who sits outside my building and I check people's windows and the wind direction before I pick a spot to light up.
― Ima Gardener (in orbit), Tuesday, 22 June 2021 21:50 (two years ago) link