Can I set fire to my compost pile?

[Claire72]

have spent a worthy couple of hours (or three) clearing nettles, grass and rogue raspberries from my rasp and rhubarb plot, my compost heap is now nearly as tall as me
I haven't tended to use this compost pile as we had an invasion of something related to ragwort in the garden, and I found some roots of it in the compost pile, so it has just sat for the last 18 months, so would it be ok to set fire to it and start again, in the same spot?
The rasps, grass and nettles are all pretty dry, so I anticipate they would burn quite easily

[Flummery]

Just make sure nothing's nesting/roosting/hiding in it first! My neighbour sets fire to a pile of garden waste on his allotment each spring. The ash is good for the soil too.

[NOG]

If its sat for 18 months you will have fun trying to get it lit.

[Patsy]

Hedgehogs shelter under piles as do toads, so Flummerys right, just move it to another pile before burning please, then you won't feel guilty if you incinerate any animals.