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The final sentence in the lede states "In Scotland, besoms are still occasionally to be found at the edge of forests where they are stacked for use in early response to an outbreak of fire" (emphasis added). No source is provided for this claim, and it is certainly counterintuitive, given that dried brooms made of birch twigs (or other tree twigs) would be highly flammable. (Indeed, dried tree twigs are one of the most common types of fuel for kindling a fire.) Can anyone explain? Bricology (talk) 00:07, 24 April 2023 (UTC)[reply]
This is merely conjecture, but I suspect the besoms could be submerged in water to saturate the straw and then be used to "stomp out" the fire, creating a smothering effect. My family heats our home with an outdoor woodstove, and on occasion, coals may spill out of the stove and ignite tinder lying on the ground. I've found that stomping on the nascent flames with my boot or with a shovel is the best way to quickly put it out. Fhbarfield (talk) 11:53, 25 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]
I came here looking for historical information about primitive brooms, but found myself mostly reading and looking at paintings about psychotropic vaginal ointment. I think it would make more sense to break out this article into one about Besoms and one about Broom / Besom Association with Witchcraft. Cultural associations with minority religious movements are only a small part of the historical significance of the household tool. Fhbarfield (talk) 11:46, 25 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]
