Hot spot continues to smolder and puzzle.

Hot spot continues to smolder and puzzle.

www.venturacountystar.com

More than a month after smoke was spotted wafting from the earth near Fillmore, the ground continues to burn and scientists continue to investigate the blaze's cause.

"It's certainly not going away," said Ron Oatman, Ventura County Fire Department spokesman. "Some days are worse than others."

Though the currently held belief is that oil or some other hydrocarbon deep in the earth is burning, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey visited the site recently to do further tests.

When they stuck a probe 18 inches into the soil, thermometers showed a temperature of 940 degrees, compared to an earlier reading of 812 degrees. Oatman said the results of the recent tests are not yet finished

(visit the link for the full news article)

They "don't" think it is volcanic in nature? I hope not, I live near it.I like the sign they have posted."If you see fire call the fire department."

www.venturacountystar.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 10-9-2008 by calcoastseeker]

I wasn't able to view the article, and so I don't know where you live.

Your post did remind me of the story of Centralia, Pennsylvania. There has been an underground fire burning there for like 50 years. The video game "Silent Hill" was even sort of based around the premise.

Here's a link:
Centralia, Pennsylvania

reply to post by TheHypnoToad


I lived next to the "Silent Hill" growing up and did some of my merit badge work on that hill in Signal Hill, CA.

I discovered that the ground under the dirt surfaces had heat coming from them. Later the ground gave way some to reveal fire with flames burning amongst the oil wells that were pumping still.

I reported the problem but nothing was ever done. Money first..people next.

Hope they get real on this or a major event s going to happen causing much panic and loss of live and property.

Hope that it does work out for everyone in this matter. Thanks.

That sounds to me like it's a coal seam that is on fire. It does remind me of Centralia, Pa. when that started back in the 1960s or so. This fire in Pennsylvania was releasing so much chemicals into the air, the government had no choice but to relocate Centralia. Mine/coal seam fires can burn for decades if left unchecked. I do not really know of how many possible coal seam fires that I have heard about over the years. Centralia is certainly one of the most famous, if not the most famous case of a coal seam fire.

Being from West Virginia, we know what fires like that can do to the environment. We've had a couple mine fires down here that have been burning since the late 1960s in underground mines. As for how to fight them, it's not a s simple as most people would think. First you would need to find the closest entrance to the fire. Then you have to go around and fill in every single nook and crany so that no oxygen can get to the fire to fuel it.

At least we hope it is a coal fire and not something more destructive and deadly.