Are smudge pots still used in orchards?

D. Ask any fruit grower and they will probably tell you—there’s no love for smudge pots. These age-old systems are commonly used in orchards across the country to help protect crops from damaging spring frosts. Traditional smudge pots burn diesel oil.

Are smudge pots illegal?

Mauk described smudge pots as a “relic of the past” and that a different type of heater is now in use. UCR heaters are in storage. Mauk said they are “illegal” because they pollute the air.

How do orchard smudge pots work?

smudge pot, device, usually an oil container with some crude oil burning in the bottom, used in fruit orchards, especially citrus groves, to provide protection against frost. The smoke serves as a blanket to reduce heat losses due to outgoing radiation.

When did they stop using smudge pots?

In 1947, state legislation finally outlawed many types of older, smokey heaters. Freezing nights in the winter of 1949 brought the last “big smudge” to Southern California. By then, growers had begun experimenting with wind machines – 125 h.p. motors driving aircraft propellers on a tower.

Are smudge pots bad for the environment?

They’re relatively simple and inexpensive to use, but they come with many challenges. Oil-burning smudge pots discharge smoke and pollutants into the air, and they pose a risk for oil spillage or leaks. They also require a lot of labor to move them around the orchards and to manually light each one.

Can smudge pots explode?

If the damper is not closed, the choofa may choke itself with its own smoke, causing periodic “explosions” of unburnt gases in the chimney. Such explosions are not dangerous, but they are noisy and they produce a lot of smoke.

What do you burn in smudge pots?

Traditional smudge pots burn diesel oil. They’re relatively simple and inexpensive to use, but they come with many challenges. Oil-burning smudge pots discharge smoke and pollutants into the air, and they pose a risk for oil spillage or leaks.

Is it illegal to use smudge pots in California?

Be aware that they are illegal in California, possibly other states as well.