Start a Forest Fire

[ronlaughlin]

We worked in the garden some this morning; did a few other chores. Just after lunch i was free to begin new chore, but the rifle beckoned. It had been showing signs of excess pressure in this hot weather, so i loaded up some tubes with less powder, and off we went. Wanted to have some fun, so i brought along a juice jug filled with water. Upon arriving at 4700', i set out the target, and the jug. Point of aim at 100 yard was surprisingly quite far off. After adjustments, we moved out to 200 yard, and punched some holes. Then it was time to go after the water jug.



The jug had been set next to a stump out aways. It was ranged, and the dial on the scope was set. When ranging the jug, i noticed some weird looking stuff in the air, or perhaps on the lens of the range finder. I brought up the rifle, and notice more of this strange looking stuff that kinda looked like smoke. I touched off the shot; missed the jug, and it dawned on me what that smokey looking stuff was. It was smoke, and i realized the jug filled with water was trying to start a fire. I made haste to the jug; picked it up, and emptied it on the smoldering pine needles/stump.

Stories have been related to me of magnifying glass on a coffee table, setting houses on fire, but never never never, in my wildest imagination could i have imagined starting a forest fire with a juice jug filled with water.

[MountainDevil54]

wow! thats pretty darned scary! Glad it didn't grow to a big fire.

[Semisane]

WOW!

Here's how I can imagine it would go Ron.

RON: "Yes, Your Honor, I'm afraid I am responsible for that fire. But it was an accident."

JUDGE: "You were in a dry forested area and started a fire. How could it be an accident? Sounds like negligence to me. What did you do - let a camp fire get out of control, carelessly discard a cigarette, carelessly tossed a match, something like that?"

RON: "No Your Honor, it wasn't anything like that. I wasn't being careless or negligent in any way."

JUDGE: "Then how did this fire get started?"

RON: "With water, Your Honor."

JUDGE: "With water?"

RON: "Yes Your Honor, with water. You see, I had a jug of water with me and left it on the ground. That's what started the fire."

JUDGE: "Are you telling the court that you 'accidentally' started a fire with water, and expect to court to accept that claim."

RON: "Yes Your Honor. If I hadn't put that water on the ground the fire never would have happened. I'm very sorry Your Honor."

JUDGE: "Yes, you are sorry - a sorry liar. GUILTY! Bailiff, take this sorry negligent fire starting water wizard to the hoosegow."

[SuperKirby]

I wouldn't have guessed that was something you would need to worry about. Glad it didn't turn into something more.

[Palehorse]

It's just the wierd shaped double convex clear bottle is all. Blame it on Sobe.

[50calty]

I've talked to guys on horse back that have started little fires in the back country with the sparks from the horses shoes hitting the rocks. Doesn't take much when the backcountry is dry.