Southern California Hot Spot Hits 812 Degrees, Baffles Experts

Southern California Hot Spot Hits 812 Degrees, Baffles Experts

www.foxnews.com

The ground is so hot in one part of Southern California it can melt your shoes right off your feet.

An unexplained "thermal anomaly" caused a patch of land in Ventura County to reach a temperature of over 800 degrees on Friday, baffling experts who have been monitoring the area for weeks.

The anomaly was discovered after the land got so hot, it started a brush fire and burned three acres. Firefighters were brought to the scene a month ago after reports of a blaze, but by the time they arrived found only smoldering dirt and brush.

Firefighters took no chances with the smoking ground, clearing brush near the fumes and cutting a fire line around the area to prevent a blaze from igniting.

"We are a little perplexed at this point, to tell you the truth," the Ventura County Star quoted geologist David Panaro as saying. "This is not your usual geological detective story."

The area has recorded high temperatures at least five times since 1987, Allen King, a retired geologist with the U.S. Forest Service told the newspaper.

The hot spot is located in steep, rugged terrain a few miles north of the town of Fillmore, owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and leased by Seneca Resources Corp.

Officials who are familiar with the patch of land, which is near the large Sespe Oil Field, have come up with a few theories as to why the ground soared to 812 degrees on August 1.

One possible theory is that natural hydrocarbons, such as oil or gas, are burning deep in the earth and seeping out through cracks, causing the surface to rapidly heat and generate smoke.

According to the Star, Allen King, a former geologist with the U.S. Forest Service, recently stuck a thermometer into the ground and got a reading of 550 degrees — so hot that it melted the glue holding the sole of his boots together.

"After that we were more cautious about standing in one place for too long," he said.

Click here for more from the Ventura County Star.

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[edit on 6-8-2008 by LunarLooney1]

First time I've heard about anything like this... anyone else?

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Well, I've heard of coal fires burning underground. Thousands of them, around the world. Some of them can burn for hundreds of years.

Originally posted by jsobecky
Well, I've heard of coal fires burning underground. Thousands of them, around the world. Some of them can burn for hundreds of years.

Do underground coal-fires burn that hot though? I'll see what I can find!

reply to post by LunarLooney1


www.abc.net.au...

www.itc.nl...

[edit on 6-8-2008 by LunarLooney1]

reply to post by LunarLooney1


So 350 degrees C is 662 degrees F. Pretty close, I'd say.