You can burn the culms, but even the thickest ones don't last long. Compared to oak firewood, the burn time of a full stove, might last 1/10 as long as the oak.

It also "explodes" as it burns. The inner culm is hollow and when heated it "pops" very loud. Sounds like a string of firecrackers going off when you throw a few culms on an open fire.

Kt

i cant remember where i had read it from but yes you can burn it as fire wood, in old times they would throw it on the fire and when it exploded from the heat building up in the cane it would go boom then a release of pressure from the gasses that escaped, which is how bamboo got its name,...

bam- booooooo

if i were to burn it for a fire, just take and cut it in the middle of the joints so it wont explode. might still crackle or pop a bit though .

Just make sure you split any big ones down the middle if you don't want an explosion, ha ha! They are good for kindling to start fires too, if they are dry.