Off-trail Driving Starts Wildfire

[dmaxw]

I've seen it a number of times, unfortunately, though never in AZ. Not just vehicles, but mowers, chain saws, weed whackers and such as well. But not saying a lit cigarette is an unlikely cause.

Yep, absolutely. North Western Oregon isn’t all that dry at any time, yet I’ve seen fires started by vehicles in a field.

That said, I don’t discount the idiots tossing cig butts out. I saved my neighbor’s Xmas tree farm from a careless cig toss. Just happened to be on my tractor with rototiller mounted, and drove it down to get the mail. Saw the smoke and cars stopped down the road and knew it could go bad quick, it had been hot and dry for a bit. Fastest tilling passes I’ve ever made but it created a break.
Local FD came out and watered it down, their captain person found the start with a fresh cig butt.

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[Murphy Slaw]

We had an old Polaris 4 wheeler start a fire last fall. We noticed it and put the leaves out real quick, but I’d never seen that before.

Stuff happens.

 

[Guv]

More than likely some sparks caught in the breeze that drifted over to some more combustible foliage. Maybe some pine trees in the area? Unless there was zero wind, which could be possible, that Jeep was putting off some serious flames resulting in lots of airborne sparks. Same reason trains start fires from sparks generated by the steel wheels and tracks.

 

[Heimkehr]

I once refused to park where directed when arriving at an estate sale. An auction house employee pointed me toward a field, comprised exclusively of high grass, on the other side of the road from the property. 'Twas Summer, and we hadn't had rain for a bit. Conditions were plainly dry, and I recognized the fire risk that said employee didn't, or couldn't.

I rolled down my window and gave the guy a quick version of the preceding paragraph, adding that I was going to park in a safe area. He just impotently shook his head and raised his hands a bit.

I drove across the street and parked alongside the house, did a quick passthrough of the household and garage goods on display, and left.

 

[Ratbert]

More than likely some sparks caught in the breeze that drifted over to some more combustible foliage. Maybe some pine trees in the area? Unless there was zero wind, which could be possible, that Jeep was putting off some serious flames resulting in lots of airborne sparks. Same reason trains start fires from sparks generated by the steel wheels and tracks.

Flames from the Jeep? A cat can easily get to 500F. Double to triple that under heavy load. Dry grass can ignite at ~300F.

 

[Guv]

Flames from the Jeep? A cat can easily get to 500F. Double to triple that under heavy load. Dry grass can ignite at ~300F.

Embers rising through the air, from Flames from the Jeep. It was obviously pretty wet judging by the fact that it got stuck in the first place.

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