This is not a compost pile fire, it is a wood chip pile fire. The source of ignition would be pretty nuch the same a pile of organic matter with just enough moiture, air, and nitrogen to spontaeneoulsy ignite. Organic matter piled up with all the right elements present will, internally, generate enough heat to ignite, for the same reasons our compost piles will heat up.

Many a barn was burned down when hay was carelessly stacked without enough air spaces for proper drying. I remember my grandaddy being a real stickler about the way we stacked as we brought it in to lofts.

"The fire is burning a mulch pile filled with wood chips and cactus clippings, he said."

Piled as high as they piled it (6-12 feet) and with the moisture from shredded trees and cactus chunks, it's going to get hot enough to spontaneously combust.

Just like hay fires: if the bales are damp, they will start to burn.

Source of ignition could also be equipment related or human carelessness.

I am curious as to why everytime a fire is reported in a composting setting, people seem to automatically assume spontaneous combustion.

Lloyd

Because spontaneous combustion is most often the cause of those fires and that is why the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Fire Protection Association have guidelines on how to stack this organic matter so they will not spontaneously ignite.

"Because spontaneous combustion is most often the cause of those fires "

Got any links to support this? If not I will consider it to be more of your bovine scatology ala "no rubber in tires" and similar statements.

Having dealt with a few "unexplained" fires it has been my experience that when the fire couldn't be positively traced to an ignition source, the "spontaneous combustion" card was often played.

Also having dealt with and seen several equipment related fires it is entirely possible many fires could be caused by equipment issues. Hence the rules and regulations regarding spark arrestors and muffler guards on internal combustion engine equipment.

RCMP said the fire was caused by a fuel leak from one of the grinder's hydraulic lines. The fuel spattered onto a hot exhaust manifold, which ignited and set the straw ablaze.

I am not saying organics can't ignite by themselves, they can, I'm saying that it is more probable there was an ignition source but it couldn't be determined.

Lloyd

"bovine scatology"

I meant to comment when this was used before...eloquent, elegant and retaining the proper initials. I like it.

tj

Fits in with my curmudgeon title.

;-)

Lloyd

I'm still trying to figure out how to fill in a hole in my yard without using dirt, topsoil, fill etc.....
allegedly all I need is leaves and coffee grounds?

Darth - a little bovine scat will help you fill in your yard hole also....

>I'm still trying to figure out how to fill in a hole in my yard without using dirt, topsoil, fill etc.....
allegedly all I need is leaves and coffee grounds?

Put a sleeping dog in there, and just let it lie...

;-]