Ground reaches 812 degrees

[Randy]

Mystified firefighters monitoring patch of ground where temperature reached 812 degrees

Ventura County firefighters are monitoring a patch of land north of Fillmore where the ground temperature climbed to 812 degrees on Friday for unknown reasons.

Possible theories include that natural hydrocarbons such as oil or gas are burning deep in the earth. But nobody knows for sure what might have ignited the materials.

"We are a little perplexed at this point, to tell you the truth," said David Panaro, a geologist with the Ventura County Watershed Protection, who was one of a few scientists called in to help solve the mystery. "This is not your usual geological detective story."

The area has recorded high heat at least five times since 1987, said Allen King, a retired geologist with the U.S. Forest Service, who also surveyed the scene where small streams of smoke wafted from cracks in the ground. The area is on land owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and leased by an oil company.

On Friday, the Ventura County Fire Department cleared the brush near the fumes and cut a fire line around the area to ensure a fire didn't start from the heat.

King said it's possible the blaze was started by another fire on the ground and it ignited a second fire underground. It could be as deep as 100 feet, he said.

Such fires where there are high concentrations of hydrocarbons are not uncommon around the world, he said.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10078748

[Randy]

Hey folks,   Here's one for your consideration.  The follow up report says the sun caused the coal dust to catch fire   ???  Ok sure.  So why didn't the kid see or feel the "fire" if the coal dust caught fire?  And, why did the surface reach 800 degrees when the "norm" is 150 to 160 for sun heating the surface ?   Sounds like a sloppy cover up to me. 

Bill Folsom, Colorado Springs

There was no fire, but the ground was hot enough in a Colorado Springs park to burn through an eight year old boy’s shoes and cause at least second degree burns on his feet. The boy went the hospital. His Crocs style shoes that were left behind have big holes with burned edges.

Firefighters want to know what’s causing the ground to get so hot near Golden Hills Park in the Rockrimmon neighborhood. Battalion Chief, Kent Matthews says, "In my twenty-four years I haven't witnessed this kind of occurrence. So it's unique.” After the boy was treated and sent to the hospital firefighters took surface readings that showed hard to believe temperatures. According to Chief Matthews, "The highest temperature we got at the surface of the soil with the sun shining on it was 800 degrees, which is pretty darn significant. Radiant heat from the sun will get it up around 150, 160 degrees, but not to that level."

Firefighters have taped off the area and are monitoring it until they can figure out what's causing the ground to get so hot. Tests by hazmat team members show there are no dangerous gases. Crews have cut a fire-line around the area to prevent the heat from potentially starting a wildfire.

Early assessments show the problem area is coal dust. Neighbors say the area has appeared blackened as long as they can remember. What has to be determined is if it was dumped here years ago or if there's something happening underground. Crews from the state geological are on the way to figure out an explanation.
 
http://www.koaa.com/aaaa_top_stories/x1331638508
 
and their follow up

*SNIP*

Not knowing whether this was a surface issue, or something coming up from one of the many hidden old mines in the area, experts with the Colorado State Geological Survey were asked to help look into the problem.

What they found has a relatively simple solution according to Kurt Schroeder with Colorado Springs Parks, "What the state representatives indicated to us is that the coal spoil that's been on top of the ground for years and years reacts with the sun, heat of the sun and it spontaneously combusts.”

Because it's coal refuse likely dumped at this spot years ago, the recommendation from geologists is capping it. Crews will dump two feet of fill over the spot to keep the sun causing the coal remnants from igniting again.</SNIP
 
http://www.koaa.com/aaaa_featured_stories/x1478701194/Cause-of-super-heated-ground-found