Never heard of it, we have a community burn pile in the hood where we take it all and may burn it as soon as there's a foot of snow on the ground. It's massive and gets closed off every year cuz there's too much.
Discussion
"biochar" - check it out. Can make it in a pit very easily, or using a bit of tech, can capture/burn the flammable gasses, and put them to productive use as well, this is "gasification". I make biochar in my wood burning stove as a by-product of heating the house.