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What are muck fires?

In: Environmental Issues, Thunderstorms and Lightning, Natural Disasters [Edit categories]

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Muck fires are fires that burn underground. They are started (usually in late winter/early spring in Florida) when buried decomposing vegetation spontaneously combusts or is ignited by lightning strikes. This happens during the dry season as the vegetation begins to dry out. Because heat is not transferred well in these conditions, areas that are still moist will produce heat from the process of decomposition. The heat accumulates to the point where it can ignite dryer material adjacent to the area of decomposition.
These fires can burn for weeks, and are extremely hard to extinguish. Most of the time they don't cause any problems, but occasionally the work their way to the surface, and can ignite material above the ground. But the majority of them just smolder under ground, and create a horrible odor that lasts for weeks.
Muck fires are underground fires under a layer of duff in marshy areas. Muck fires are started when lightning strikes the ground and starts to burn.

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Steven

First answer by ID0408687727. Last edit by Steven Bellner. Contributor trust: 3 [recommend contributor ]. Question popularity: 23 [recommend question].

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