Here are some more fun pictures of backyard incinerators I found in The Times archives:

Photograph by John Malmin Los Angeles Times

Fire Capt. Harry E. Hjorth inspects a backyard incinerator, Oct. 4, 1948.

Times photo

The original caption from July 31, 1955:
Villain or scapegoat? This lowly backyard incinerator must go, say supervisors. Smog experts call it poisonous; others say it’s being used as a scapegoat.

Photograph by Bill Watson Los Angeles Times

What the well-dressed incinerator opponents were wearing: March 3, 1957. Mrs. George Hope, left, president of Ebell Juniors; Dr. Ben Frees, head of supporters on Proposition A, which called for the city to collect rubbish in exchange for banning incinerators; and Mrs. Ralph Lewis, PTA leader.