Home | Photo Gallery | Oil/Seed Flax Photos: Europe/Russia | Burning Flax Field in England

Somerset, England

Linseed is the only stubble you're still allowed to burn in the UK, because you can't chop it (it doesn't incorporate into the soil) and unless you're near a plant that can use it for energy there's no use for it. So to get rid of it, the combine leaves it rowed up and then it is pushed into massive heaps with a teleporter. Then, it is simply set fire. It burns astonishingly quickly (and hotly) because of the oil content!

Photo and caption courtesy of Chris Sigournay
Photographer: Chris Sigournay