Hurricane Harvey wrecked my forge

[Obvious]

Okay so Hurricane Harvey didn't destroy my house, thank god. But my forge was left outside, the innards are now covered in rust. Will it burn off the next time I fire it up, or does it need to be sanded off?

 

[JTknives]

What "innards"? The bricks or the wool?

 

[Obvious]

What "innards"? The bricks or the wool?

As in the inside metal of my 55 gallon drum.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Surface rust and simple corrosion won't be a problem on a drum forge. Let it dry for a while, fire it up slowly to drive out any moisture, and it should be OK.