BURNING THE CHARCOAL

Burning the charcoal On the south-east of Poland, in Bieszczady Mountaines, there are dozen places, where the wood coal is made. The carbonization process is difficult. Day in, day out, needs almost each hour checking. During the coking, wood is heating even to 1500°C. One retort’s loading can take from 7 to 9 tonnes of wood. It gives about 1 tonne of charcoal. This work is very hard and it's not safe at all. Burners, also called colliers, live in very modest conditions. While winter time, even the freezing cold doesn’t subdue the embers of hot oven. The hero of this reportage treats his job as a way of living in the forest, close to the nature and to the silence. It is a solitary being. His maine slogan is: “Don’t let the oven rules you. He has no right to rule you. The fire must go only there, where you want him to go.” The best coal came from fagus tree, the worst from aspen. Charcoal briquettes are widely used for outdoor barbecues, or in art for drawing. Bieszczady Mountains, Poland 2007/2008

Want to link to this gallery?
Flash Slideshow:

Keywords