I understand that some landscapes require natural fires every few years to remain healthy. We stop fires from happening near homes, and this is not good for the forest– that is why we have prescribed burns. But, how would a fire "naturally" start every few years if left untouched by humans? Is lightning the ONLY reason?
Chipmunks smoking in bed.
Ok, not really. It’s mostly lightning, but once in a while the heat from decaying vegetation causes a pile of dead plants to burst into flame in what is called spontaneous combustion. That’s why farmers let hay dry before bailing it. When they used to store bales of hay in barns, wet hay was the leading cause of barn fires.
December 21st, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Lighting is a main cause. Humans contribute to a lot, tossing a cigarette out a car window, campfires etc.
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December 21st, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Chipmunks smoking in bed.
Ok, not really. It’s mostly lightning, but once in a while the heat from decaying vegetation causes a pile of dead plants to burst into flame in what is called spontaneous combustion. That’s why farmers let hay dry before bailing it. When they used to store bales of hay in barns, wet hay was the leading cause of barn fires.
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December 21st, 2009 at 4:21 pm
i think the extrem heat of the sun might be a trigger for a forest fire.
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December 21st, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Mainly lightening.
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December 21st, 2009 at 5:05 pm
One reason is globules of water hanging from leaves, They act like a magnifying lens with the sun shining through them. This starts a fire. Usually from morning dew.
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December 21st, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Lightning strikes normally.
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December 21st, 2009 at 6:31 pm
I thing volcanoes can also start fires, assuming they haven’t blown them all out with those rather massive explosions.
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December 21st, 2009 at 6:54 pm
heat from the sun can make very dry vegetation catch alight
also lightening strikes.
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December 21st, 2009 at 7:19 pm
It could be lovers when they meet an old flame.
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December 21st, 2009 at 8:05 pm
usually by lightning strikes….but somwtimes its just combustion…fires in the forests that start without human intervention are usually natures way of cleansing the Earth.
After all they have been around since before man
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December 21st, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Lighting can cause fire, specially when the area is very dry.
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December 21st, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Why no news of fires in Brazils Amazon forests?
The fires in California are serious and are causing much hardship but are tiny compared to the forest fires in Brazil that have closed airports, filled hospitals and threaten to change the WORLD’S climate.
Why no news?
Try this link;
http://news.mongabay.com/2007/1016-amazo...
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December 21st, 2009 at 9:57 pm
It’ll be those damn dirty apes banging rocks together again! One spark from a piece of flint and it’s bye-bye tree house.
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December 21st, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Lightning, volcanic activity and hot air outta Bush’s mouth all contribute.
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December 21st, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Spontaneous combustion can occur without the aid of an external flame. Around us we have heat, fuel and oxygen, everything required to create fire. The only reason the chair your sitting on doesn’t burst into flames is because the mixture of these three elements is not correct.
Once the mixture of these three are correct, ( between the upper and lower limits of flammability) you will have a fire.
This is one reason why these forest fires take place. The sun is so strong (heat), on the forest floor (fuel), that it only takes the wind (oxygen) to set it alight.
Hope you enjoyed your first lesson in the chemistry of fire. It’s called the "Triangle of Combustion".
By the way, to extinguish combustion you must remove one of the three elements. That’s why it’s so tough for those brave firefighters’.
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December 22nd, 2009 at 12:09 am
as fare as i know lightning is the only way unless a squirrel caused a spark rubbing his nuts
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December 22nd, 2009 at 12:48 am
Lightning is the main reason.
However, dry heat is a possibilty. Every object (or nearly every object) has a combustion point (or temperature). Once the surrounding air reaches a certain temperature, the object spontaneously combusts.
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