Causes for American Wildfires --Flammable Gas from the Earth Fissure

Abstract: Every year certain states experience frequent forest fires. However, what factors trigger these fires? Some studies on fire scene indicated that smokes and flammable gases from earth fissures could self-ignite or fire with open flames or cause plants triggering forest fires.  Measures to prevent fires lie in finding out causes for fires. The aim of this study is to find causes to prevent bushfires rather than passive firefighting.

Keywords: wildfires  Californian wildfires  forest fires

Generally there are reasons for wildfires as follows: 1. dry airs; 2. human actions. Based on previous records, wildfires almost happen every month independent of the climate. Furthermore, records demonstrate that sometimes several hundred of scenes experience great fires even with high frequency of fires in certain scenes. This case may exclude human actions. Many of countries have a high frequency of fires and are proven to share one feature, i.e., smokes and flammable gases from the earth.

Figure (1) E (access to the link to the references for views) describes one big tree located in California. On December 8, 2017, Matthew McDermott shot that this tree was destroyed by fires from inside outwards. The outbreak of this fire is inside the trunk and spreads upward. Flames rush out of the trunk and look strange orange firelights. Apparently this tree is burn out and flames are running from the root of tree (see the white arrow) spreading into the earth. From this case, we consider there exists a deep fissure under the tree with burning marks. Gas residues may be extracted from the earth under the tree. Some flammable gases may be generated from this fissure.

In 2018 Greek wildfires, many burnt trees become hollow. However, trees firing from the core are only found in Greece, Italy, Portugal and California because the earth fissures in these countries generate flammable gases. Figure A and C show the tree core is burning, Figure B is the burnt trunk. Figure D shows the ends of the fallen tree is smoking, which indicates that the tree is hollow and the smokes from the stump may be caused by fires or smoke dust generating from the earth fissures. The trunk is not in fires because of insufficient ventilation and oxygen in the core. The root of three is burnt and the trunk falls down under fires. The core of the tree is firing locally. The firemen may not jet water into the core of the tree, so the trunk or the stump is still smoking.

Why do hollow trees locate in these places? Why is the core of the tree firing? These hollow trees locate above the earth fissures. Some substances from flammable gases in these fissures contribute to the death of the core or hinder its growing. Therefore, the outer of three grows up while the core is dead to produce a big hollow over years and years. However, certain flammable gases generate from the earth fissures and go through the tree hollow. The trunk becomes a gas pipeline, and then flammable gases will fire when meeting with open fires or lightning. If the truck is ventilated, with flammable gases, the trunk fires and looks like a gas furnace. The great fires start from the core of the tree, while flammable gases still break forth after the trunk is burnt out. Matthew McDermott saw the flames in the core are in orange color because of flammable gases firing. The breaks or hollow on the trunk may be caused by flammable gases. Maybe there are fissures under the tree that generate flammable gases.

Figure (1) G locates Calci Italy. On September 25, 2018, a local massif experienced fires. The survey found that the truck was first fired and no dry leaves or grass firing was observed under the tree. No smokes were generated from flames and seven trucks were firing with different sizes of flames. Of them, four trucks just started firing with small flames and from the core of the tree (No. 4567 in the figure). The root of No. 5 and No. 6 trees, the middle truck of No. 4 tree and the top truck of No. (7) tree had small open fires. Point B, C, D and A refer to smokes. The white image in Point EFG may be smokes, and these trees may be hollow. No. (1) truck refers to the tree firing with the greatest flames. The core of this tree was firing, while the bark was black, indicating the fires started from the core. There was a hole (H) in the middle of No. (3) truck from which we can see the flames. This shows the tree is hollow. No. 7 truck had high flames (A) and there seemed a hole. If the earth leaves or dry grasses fire the truck, why was the root not fired?

Figure (1) F describes a firing tree in a Portuguese wildfire. This wildfire happened on October 22, 2017. In this study we explored the true causes for this truck firing. If dry grasses under the tree fired the truck, why is a branch (A) in front of firing hole not flamed. Leaves of this branch are not fired and in green color (part of the leaf fired). The moss on the F stone is not totally fired, indicating flames from grass firing are not strong.

Arrow B, C and D in the figure refer to flames. Surrounding plants were being burnt out. Any other substances may be firing without any smokes. Flammable gases from 3 holes were firing rather than plants. M and H refer to holes and flammable gases generate yellow flames. N, K and E refer to holes but no gases spread from holes.

F refers to a stone with moss grown. The moss on the left of the stone was fired, and flames came from E and D holes.

There was a hole firing on the hole because flammable gases came from B, C and D holes. Surrounding flames were put out while the core was firing because M and H were generating flammable gases.

We explored the reasons for core firing in these four states. These four cases share some common features. Without flammable gases, the truck firing is in red color without flames. We searched many examples from electronic magazines.

Figure (2) shows 4 pictures of Monte Busca in Italy. It is a gas outlet in 1m width and has been breaking forth for hundreds of years. The flames feature yellow color. The top view in Figure C indicates that pink dotted line is a fissure that is the first vent. It has great gas flow that impacts a fissure on the earth. Recently it breaks forth continuously while intermittently 1000 years ago; flammable gases from many fissures last for a short period and put out after plants on the earth are burnt out. People will not consider small flames come from the earth. One hundred years ago, this region had thick plants that were disappeared after wildfires. Wildfires hinder the growth of plants.

Figure (3) A describes fires in front of the Greek Orthodox Church in the middle village of Peloponnese on August 29, 2007. Flames spread across the top of the truck as the truck is filled with gasoline and without any smoke. Figure 3 B locates a scene in California. In this fire, leaves were not fired while the big truck was being fired without any smoke. It seemed that the earth was firing rather than plants. However, we should investigate where black smokes came from?

Once flammable gas fires plants, flames from plants firing confuse with flammable gas firing. “We do not know the truth of wildfires because fires happen in the forest”. However, there are differences between flammable gas firing and surrounding fires. We should find evidence to proof this fact.

Figure (3) C refers to papers from the fire scene with only one hole and angle fired. A, B, C and D regions describe a gap between the column and rock.  A region on the column was blackened by smokes from the earth and without flames; B and C regions have dispersed ashes to be tested. D stone was heated by smokes and one angle and hole were carbonized under high temperature. Smokes heated the stone D through the hole on the paper. If this fissure produces flammable gases that will be firing, the paper will be totally fired but not carbonized. This indicates the temperature of the smokes. We can infer the name of this place from the words on the paper. Flames from plants firing will burn out the paper.

Figure (4) describes the Palidisi California. On November 14, 2018 when wildfires were put out, many holes were found. No soil was observed near the hole. These holes had burning marks excluding animal actions, so they are formed by air flow impacts. Figure J shows tyres of a handcart burning. We can only see the hoops and the hub stuck into soils. Solid substances on the earth are distributed on the new holes; If these solid substances are flammable, it indicates gases are not fired. If they are not inflammable, gases may be fired. White powder new the hub is volcanic ash jet into the splash guard of tyres from the hub and reflected, and jet ashes disappeared with winds. In Figure, if stamps were cut off and some holes were found near the stamp carbonized, we can infer the stamp was fired by flammable gases. No ashes were found near the stamp, how is the stamp fired? What forms the holes in the scene? We may dig out the earth to observe where the hole goes through and what substances in the soil. (access to the link to see the surrounds of the holes). If the stamp in the Figure i is burnt out and the root is fired to ashes, holes will be formed at the root of the tree. The white arrow in the Figure K indicates a root not burnt. All holes face to the center where the stamp locates. H, J and K in the figure indicate that burnt stamps have holes that are formed by air flow but not carbon or ash. After the tree is dead, its root will rot or dry up and the tree will have some breaks. Flammable gas from the earth will spread from these breaks and fire with open flames.     

Figure (3)D refers to the satellite imagery on December 10, 2017 (access to the link). The imagery is marked with lines of different color based on the smoke gas form, and we can the form of smoke gas correlates with the topography. White lines relate smoke fissure with the fault zone in San Francisco and divide B zone with white smokes into two semicircles. The white circle is the old volcanic outlet that is divided into two halves by fault in San Francisco. The fault zone goes through the San Francisco into the Pacific Ocean and is drown into the topography. The smoke form from the underwater indicates the structure of the underwater. We can infer the evolution process. Yellow lines show that smokes are generated from the Mid-ocean ridge of the eastern Pacific nearby. Pink lines are basically located in the fault zone of SAN Andreas, and Sierra Nevada H connects with smoke edge in the desert belt of Los Angeles. This line has great significance, and we will introduce this content. Smoke in DFE region features a round pattern, but it has no rotating form and is not formed by air flow. These regions are volcanic outlet; The smoke from Los Angelese convects with smoke from the water near San Francisco. What wind contributes to this case. Smoke from K is another form like dried earth and with clear boundary. It is not flowing air features; Smoke from M is like oval with clear boundary which shows clouds and smokes cannot form these different patterns.

Figure (5) is a satellite imagery of the Pacific Ocean in western Los Angeles, California on December 4, 2017. It seems that these smokes come from the continent; the form of smokes and plants firing can produce smokes. However, these smokes indeed come from the sea.

The figure is divided into 5 regions, including A, B, C, D and E regions. In region B, with the white square F enlarged, smokes on the left upper angle become clear, especially the top point of the figure that is the focus. The continent becomes vague and is the lowest point. Smokes at the south of B (below) fly from the continent, but ones at the north in the shape of sheep wool at the north that do not come from the continent. Smoke outlets are small in white. Smokes in the region C are black-brown from the sea but not the continent (access to the link to references). G has two smoke outlets and smokes from them fly away to the south.  

White smokes from the region D are vague, indicating that the region D is at the same height as the continent. Based on the form, smokes come from the northwest Pacific but not the continent. Smokes here meet with smokes in the region B, but no wind can contribute to this impact. We cannot see smokes from the region E, but with the same form as the region D, which cannot come from the continent. Smokes from the region D and E are at the same height as the continent, so the smokes may come from the underwater. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the topography of the underwater. Smokes from the region A become vague almost with the same height as the continent, indicating they come from the underwater. This will be proven by filed investigation when we see smokes from the satellite imagery in future. Figure 5G describes two thick smokes, we can see its clear wave marks on the surface different from smokes on the left and right.

Figure (6) describes four pictures of the cloud movement animation. We can see cloud systems come from E, J, G, K, M, N, H, L respectively. E has white smokes, H experiences black smokes flying away to the west; Cloud systems from the western plateau (Cordillera mountains) fly away to the east. Five lakes are considered as a cloud system. Clouds are mixed with smokes, so smokes may come from the water and mountains.

From the view of meteorologist, wildfires are caused by dry air. Politicians consider wildfires are caused by human actions, while geologists view that flammable gases from the earth fissure can cause wildfires. We should search for proofs to explore the true causes for wildfires. From the above, we can prove that the earth fissure often generate smokes and flammable gases that can fire with open flames or self-ignite under high temperature to trigger forest fires. Human actions bring about open flames to trigger fires, but this is not an intentional action, because the politicians and scientists have no idea that the earth fissure can generate flammable gases. No residence know “flammable gases come from the region”, and no preventive measures are taken against flammable gases. OSM introduces that approximately 200 underground or surface mines are still burning in 14 states of America. Except Antarctica, almost every continents have hundreds of mines firing. Some of them may generate flammable gases to trigger wildfires.

It’s a bad result to fight with wildfires every year. The local government can investigate whether there are flammable gases from the earth fissure only with easy technologies and small investment. How can the government believe my thoughts? I think your honored editor will believe this subversive thought. Flammable gases from the earth fissure not only cause wildfires but also induce nerve poisoning. Many cases with nerve poisoning symptoms among American children may be caused by inhaling gases from the earth fissure. Increased wildfires happen all over the world because more flammable gases and smokes are generated from the earth fissure. These gases contribute to the global climate warming and increased hazes. We should explore the truth of wildfires and take proper measures. Where do these smokes and gases come from? What is the maximum exhaust amount? Do we bear the climate warming or poison gases or great fires? We can infer the rock fissure based on the form of gases. This provides a means to study the earth. We will analyze the harms from smokes and flammable gases in the future study.

Figure 1E video link: http://news.cri.cn/zhibotianxia/20171207jz.html

Figure 1F link:

http://mini.eastday.com/mobile/171022160246816.html

Figure 2 link:https://www.sohu.com/a/205852206_493318

Figure 3A link:

Figure 3C link:

http://sh.qihoo.com/pc/9a7732d06c94c21aa?cota=1&sign=360_e39369d1

Figure 3D link:

Figure 4 link:

Figure 6 video link:https://www.vjshi.com/watch/1686076.html

YIN Minsheng, corresponding author, the sponsor of International Wildfires Research Center.    尹民生  国际山火研究中心创始人

Address: Room 1407, Unite 2 Building 9, Shili Xiangrong Community, No. 6 Lashan North Road, Huaiyin District, Jinan City, China 250117

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