Forest fires don't start so easily - Experiments done with firemaking materials

a reply to: and14263

I do recall my old man rolling and folding newspaper for the coal fire many years ago, I will try this too.

Get some news paper, and put some of the coal dust in it, maybe some of the smaller chunks. Or, you could get one of the propane touches, they're cheap to buy and get replacement tanks, they get the smaller pieces lit in a jiffy.

a reply to: Bigburgh

Question for you: Is it the hydraulic fluid itself burning, or is it the gases given off from the heated hydraulic fluid which is burning? I know a mist of hydraulic oil is flammable as heck. Just never knew if it was the gas or the actual oil burning.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Sorry but your little experiment doesn't capture the many variables present. Air flow being one.

You aren't a fire expert. You have no business attempting to debunk them.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

That's a nice little tip that

If you are free at 7pm BST then feel free to take a walk down the old railway track and help me light my fire, I'm the house with the lunatic children and cursing father covered in coal dust.

From experience it's easy to start a fire and it's even easier for it to turn to an uncontrollable one.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

i is wondering - were the VOCs that you so dilligently distilled off in the oven [ causing your entire house to smell of a dozen christmas trees ] - one of the flamable elements of pine needles ??

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
We had a fire nearby this year which burned about 600 acres and it was started by a spark off of a trailer safety chain.

Liar. It was obviously the government clearing a right of way for high speed rail.

originally posted by: muSSang
From experience it's easy to start a fire and it's even easier for it to turn to an uncontrollable one.

100% correct but it does depend on location, climate, etc. For example, for you upside down folk, rain is a dirty word so your land is tinder box dry. However, for us poor, wet Brits, everything is permanently sodden so not so easy to start a fire.

Fires can start very easily, and when they have any type of conifer/pines around, it's like napalm.

Couple years ago, someone shot a bottle rocket, into my neighbors giant Arbor Vitae's. Ten, 20 foot bushes burned within 30 minutes, and It took 2 fire engines to put them out, but nothing was left. Melted a car in the driveway, siding on a garage 20 feet away, luckily nothing else caught fire. Dearborn has a fantastic fire department that responded quickly. I was told, it was the oils, in the pines, that make them so dangerous, and flammable.

I felt the heat from 60 feet away, and across the street.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
We had a fire nearby this year which burned about 600 acres and it was started by a spark off of a trailer safety chain.

Liar. It was obviously the government clearing a right of way for high speed rail.

Actually that would be a cheaper way to acquire high price property. Stop giving them ideas, they normally couldn't have thought of themselves.

a reply to: ignorant_ape

Learn something new everyday. Maybe he breathed them in hence why he has gone quiet?

They do always say be careful with home experiments. There is a method of making homebrew steriliser by mixing, wait for it....

Bleach and vinegar.

For those curious about the results - DO NOT TRY THIS EVER YOU WILL DIE.

a reply to: Realtruth


Someone beat me to it, there's a ridiculous thread about it here already.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Yep! Those traffic jams of cows have just become unmanageable.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Was doing a training exercise in CampPen back in 1990, just off to the side of our shop. One of my buddies lit a cigarette with a match and then tossed the match on the ground. Within seconds all the dried grass (because it's summer in sunny SoCal) within 3 feet was alight. We tried to stamp out the fire but it was too late. In about 5 minutes the fire had spread easily 150-200 feet on all sides. Lucky we were close to some blacktop. We were all cursing Harris, the guy who's match had started the fire.

Even though the fire dept. came, there wasn't much they could do, the fire burned up probably 50 or 60 acres before it got under control. Could have been more, I'm not really sure. We just messed with Harris every time we saw anything burnt. He earned his nickname "Smokey Harris" that day.

So what I'm trying to say is: Fires can start quite easily, all it takes is the right conditions...and yes even a single mis-thrown match can burn 100 acres or 10,000 acres.

All you have to do is think back on all the times you had a hard time getting a campfire or fireplace going. Even with good, dry material it often goes out if not prepared properly. Even with good tinder you often need more than just a spark.

Had to give you S&F for pointing out the painfully obvious but overlooked.

So what are the odds of fires starting in multiple locations?
Seems to me it become exponentially less likely.

a reply to: bastion

Thank you.

EMT
F.D.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

Dry grasses take a spark real easy. So easy they're used for tinder across the world. Birch bark too and fallen rotten dead wood. Fire is hotter than your oven my friend.

Google something like "arsonist wildfire caught" to see deliberate fire starters. Australia has had a few and the Brits had many a few years ago.

If you want to test this dry out tall grasses in your oven then take them outside. Use a fire rod for sparks and watch them go or drop a burning cigarette on the grass and blow a little, she'll be burning in a hot second.

There's no need to go conspiracy when most countries have problems with accidental or malicious wildfires. Have a great weekend sir.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

I've started a lot of fires in my life...I assure you they can grow big really fast....

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

I have burnt off trash and yard debris since 1991 in three states on my own properties. It is our states law you must have your burn pile over 30 feet away from your neighbors property. I always wet down the grass with garden hose around the fire circle first. Line the fire circle with rocks. Always watch your fire and have the garden hose on. Never Ever Burn on a Windy Day. Never Ever Burn on a Windy Day. Early in the morning when it is calm and the dew point is high is best. The pine needles catch fire from the pointy ends. I would never burn that stuff either. Use it as flower bed mulch. A spark can catch dry grass or leaves on fire. This is why I have the garden hose ready. Even on the humid East Coast. I would never burn if it hasn't rained for over a week. Never let your burn pile get higher than two feet off the ground. A twenty foot flame could catch a tree on fire. So dont burn near or under trees. A person must really be in tune with nature to understand fire. Pine cones and gum balls are extremely flammable. So dont burn too many of those together. Wet stuff will burn too. So that is a myth that wet stuff wont burn.

****I dont recommend the average person to burn their trash off. Most people are irresponsible and stupid. So pay for trash pick up. ****

Also dont keep cardboard boxes in your house. Those are extremely flammable. Two small, medium, and large boxes covers any mailings. Recycle them. A relative has around 100 boxes because they self published a book and used to ship, so I am always telling them get rid of those dangerous boxes. Another relative in their 70s just had the fire department come out and inspect their house and told them to get rid of clutter, hang smoke detectors, and a carbon monoxide detectors. They also had a basement loaded with boxes. So they flattened them and took out for recycling. Also recycle the packaging peanuts, they are very flammable. Oily rags should be thrown out.

P.S.
It is so dry in California, my relative puts a bucket in the shower. When the bucket gets full they use it to water their shrubs outside. That is LA. The whole place looks very dry to me out there in CA. On the East coast where it is humid, we have Spanish moss, lizards, alligators, ringworm, mildew growing on the houses and sidewalks. The power washer people stay permanently busy.