pic of the Boulder CO fire from my office

[OutHouse]

took this pic a few min ago. yesterday we were watching the slurry bombers attack it. the sad part is seeing a black column of smoke start rising up, that's black smoke is somebody's house.



http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/citrix/boulderfire09082010.JPG

 

[Homerboy]

404 Fire not found.

 

[OutHouse]

works for me.

 

[Eli]

Works for me too. I think he's saying that you can't actually see the fire, just the smoke.

Horrible situation up there though, I really feel for those people. Having your house burn down like that would be one of the most horribly humbling experiences I can imagine. The feeling of utter powerlessness over something we normally are able to control would be very difficult to handle.... I am surprised we haven't heard about anybody attempting to stay and fight the fire.. Or neighborhoods, or something.

I don't think most people understand the scope of a forest fire. I certainly don't, but I can imagine. When you break a 12" long, 8" thick round of wood into 4ths or 8ths and put a couple pieces in your fireplace, how long do they burn? Imagine a whole tree on fire, let alone a whole forest.

Now imagine the fire advancing for like 4 hours. At this point, you have everything from coals to just-lit material, and everything in between. And however far the fire traveled in those 4 hours is how thick this inferno is.

From the pictures I've seen, the forest up there is very scrubby. I'm sure that has some negative effects on the fire. I'm pretty sure I've also seen a picture where the fire burned like 3 houses down, but spared a 4th that was on the same street. Hmm.

I wonder if it would be possible for a group of people to save a single house? Or a neighborhood, with enough people? And enough water? lol

 

[JulesMaximus]

404 Fire not found.

Where there's smoke, there's fire.

 

[mizzou]

amazing how far back into the mountains homes go....and also the city limits of boulder! was just out there to get to pikes peak this July, wonderful area

 

[KeithTalent]

Where there's smoke, there's fire.

Damn, beat me to it.

KT

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

pee on it

 

[Numenorean]

Well add fire to all the dead pines due to the beetles and it could get ugly.

 

[coldmeat]

Looks more like a parking lot.

 

[arrfep]

Works for me too. I think he's saying that you can't actually see the fire, just the smoke.

I wonder if it would be possible for a group of people to save a single house? Or a neighborhood, with enough people? And enough water? lol

There was a group of people that did this during some bad California fire a couple years back. Eight of them stayed back after evacuation orders setting pre-burn fires (whatever you call them) digging trenches and fighting the fires with garden hoses. They ended up saving valuable historic homes...and then a couple of them got arrested for starting the controlled fires. They earned themselves a folk-tale nickname, the Apple Ridge 8 or something, but I can't remember for sure.

I'll try to dig up a link.

 

[Ballatician]

There was a group of people that did this during some bad California fire a couple years back. Eight of them stayed back after evacuation orders setting pre-burn fires (whatever you call them) digging trenches and fighting the fires with garden hoses. They ended up saving valuable historic homes...and then a couple of them got arrested for starting the controlled fires. They earned themselves a folk-tale nickname, the Apple Ridge 8 or something, but I can't remember for sure.

I'll try to dig up a link.

Interesting.

Forest fires are a very natural process and I agree that it must be a humbling experience for some people. Those fires easily reach into the 1000 degree range once they are really going.

I just learned this recently but pinecones have actually evolved to function during forest fires. Certain species will only release their seeds after a certain number of hours of high heat produced by the fire. That allows the fertilized seeds to be released as the fire moves on or dies down. There was also something about a protective heat-activated resin but I forget that part.

 

[Lummex]

Drove up to a spot on the flatirons two nights ago to a place where we could watch the fire (a great distance away). It was the first time i've ever seen a wildfire in person. It was a strange experience; very sad, but also exciting in a way. Apparantly a truck crashed into a propane tank up there, so that's how it happened.

My dad got lucky, he lives fairly close to where the fire was, but did not have to evacuate. I can't imagine losing everything with barely any warning and no control over it.

 

[Lummex]

Interesting.

Forest fires are a very natural process and I agree that it must be a humbling experience for some people. Those fires easily reach into the 1000 degree range once they are really going.

I just learned this recently but pinecones have actually evolved to function during forest fires. Certain species will only release their seeds after a certain number of hours of high heat produced by the fire. That allows the fertilized seeds to be released as the fire moves on or dies down. There was also something about a protective heat-activated resin but I forget that part.

That's what I was initially mentioning to people, but this was not a natural forest fire. A truck crashed into a propane tank. To me, that makes it much sadder and devastating. I'm sure whoever crashed into the tank feels like a complete asshole (if he is still alive)

 

[luchinos]

That's what I was initially mentioning to people, but this was not a natural forest fire. A truck crashed into a propane tank. To me, that makes it much sadder and devastating. I'm sure whoever crashed into the tank feels like a complete asshole (if he is still alive)

not a forest fire? so much smoke! that's really sad...

 

[zinfamous]

works for me.

ditto.









...but I'd reeeally like to see some fire, as well.

 

[Ballatician]

That's what I was initially mentioning to people, but this was not a natural forest fire. A truck crashed into a propane tank. To me, that makes it much sadder and devastating. I'm sure whoever crashed into the tank feels like a complete asshole (if he is still alive)

Wow yeah that really sucks for everyone involved.

 

[arrfep]

Interesting.

Forest fires are a very natural process and I agree that it must be a humbling experience for some people. Those fires easily reach into the 1000 degree range once they are really going.

I just learned this recently but pinecones have actually evolved to function during forest fires. Certain species will only release their seeds after a certain number of hours of high heat produced by the fire. That allows the fertilized seeds to be released as the fire moves on or dies down. There was also something about a protective heat-activated resin but I forget that part.

Found a couple links. Not sure if anything big ever came of it:

http://blog.indurogear.com/?p=1118 (blurb under the 3rd photo)

http://www.montereycountyweekly.com...t-what-went-down-on-apple-pie-ridge/1/@@index

 

[her209]

Where there's smoke, there's fire.

Not necessarily. It could be dry ice.