MetaFilter posts tagged with Fire

Why the West is ablaze.

clearly — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:56:30 -0800

Why the West is ablaze. Wildfires are burning throughout the western United States, charring roughly 3 million acres thus far this year and covering the west in smo ke. Campaigns such as Smokey Bear have molded public opinion to believe that wildfires are always harmful to nature. However, fire is an integral component to the function and biodiversity of many communities. To help address the potential for catastrophic fires, the House just passed the FLAME act, which will fund firefighting efforts and requires the development of a comprehensive strategy to address wildfires.

Sitting With Fire

whir — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:29:59 -0800

Sitting With Fire is a blog running from Tassajara, one of the oldest Zen monasteries in the US. It provides information on the status of Tassajara's residents who have stayed behind to combat the Basin Complex fire. Other blogs covering the Basin Complex fire include Sur Fire 2008, Big Sur the Scoop, and Wildfire Today; the Ventana Wilderness forum provides a way for locals to communicate. The Ventana Wildlife Society maintains a blog focused on the fire's effects on endangered condors in the region, and Firefighter Blog covers many of the California wildfires of 2008, including but not limited to the Basin Complex fire.

You too can play with fire.

Mitheral — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:49:08 -0800

Plans for a Simple Atmospheric Gas Forge that can be constructed using mundane tools. Zoeller forge is also a parts source for speciality items you may not be able to source locally.

I wish my commute was this fun...

allkindsoftime — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:59:57 -0800

Happy birthday, firehouse pole.

The Door to Hell

homunculus — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:00:12 -0800

The Burning Crater of Darvaza. [Via.]

Fire and Ice underground

Kirth Gerson — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 08:47:20 -0800

Weird scenes inside the ~~gold~~ mica mines Russians photograph and play in an abandoned mine.

The Great Baltimore Fire of 1904

dhammond — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:31:29 -0800

"To suppose that the spirit of our people will not rise to the occasion is to suppose that our people are not genuine Americans. We shall make the fire of 1904 a landmark not of decline but of progress."

Frozen fire-gutted building

baphomet — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:48:50 -0800

It's never a happy occasion when a 130 year old brick building goes up in flames. But when the fire crews have to spray down the building (and the surrounding city block) in sub-zero temperatures, the end result looks stunning. From 10:30AM to around 1PM yesterday, firefighters in downtown Minneapolis worked to contain the blaze that consumed Maxwell's American Cafe, a popular local lunch spot, and the adjacent Scandia Furniture store. While these buildings were neither historic nor especially remarkable, their sudden drenching and subsequent rapid deep-freezing made for some very unique and striking photographs.

Prairie photos by Larry Schwarm

sleepy pete — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:05:50 -0800

Larry Schwarm is best known for his photographs of prairie fires and landscapes in the Flint Hills of Kansas. On May 5, 2007, he visited his hometown of Greensburg, Kansas to take photos of what was left after an F-5 tornado leveled the town the day before. There's some browser resizing, just so you know... or at least there is for me.

Fifty car pileup closes 1-4 in Florida

misha — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:01:37 -0800

I watched man burn to death, heard others screaming in the fog. A massive, 50-car pileup, the result of three or more crashes on I-4, has led to at least 3 fatalities and 82 injuries in central Florida near Orlando. The smoke and fog were so bad that rescue efforts were hindered. Drivers with no visibility did not know whether to stay in their burning cars or risk running out onto the highway for help.