What will burn first wood or plastic?

Under normal circumstances, wood will burn first because it has a lower temperature of combustion than metal. That means a stick will catch fire and burn faster than a piece of steel pipe the same size. In fact, under those normal circumstances mentioned, the stick will burn and be reduced to ash while the steel pipe will not be affected. Many times structures will burn and the steel water pipes will be left only blackened after all the wood has been consumed by the blaze.