good tips provided on safety. You might be able to burn that hemlock if you split it real small as Maple Flats suggested, some species require time for seasoning even if they've been snapped or cut off the stump for quite some time but as you say this species does dry faster than others so you'll probably be ok here. I was offered a downed hemlock last fall, about 18" dia, got two nice logs out of it, got them home and was going to mill them and build an entry door for our log sugar shack but the logs were a little too far gone for milling, so I'm going to burn it in the syrup stove this spring. There is another larger hemlock on the same property and the owner said I could have that one as well so we'll see what shape that one's in......around this part of the country, hemlock is one of the best species for anything outdoors, we have an outhouse at deer camp made from hemlock, it's pushing 100 years old and still standing. Most has been logged off over the years so not too common to come across nice hemlock logs anymore.....if that other hemlock doesn't pan out, I can always use cedar as that's just as good if not better for outdoor projects.