Muck Fire Research Project

A project by.......

Haley Macha :)

Astrid Rogers XD

And Faith Kabiru

Here is a little background

information on muck fires :)

Muck fires are fires started by a very dry area being hit by lightning repeatedly over time. The muck fire will burn for more than an average persons lifetime. They can spread very quickly and can be very dangerous. The fires burn underground in dry fields. The fires take a while to form but when they do, they are almost impossible to put out. The most popular place for muck fires to spark, is Florida. (Fighting muck fires, muck fires)

Muck fires are a problem because they are very dangerous. They create a dark smoke which can give out a terrible odor. This smoke can make it difficult to breathe while outside. The fires spread fast so it could reach a nearby area of property.

Some effects of muck fires include an unpleasant smell, a dark smoke, and an unsafe area in many public places. The fire can also damage a lot of property and natural fields.

This problem is featured is the novel, Tangerine, by Edward Bloor.

"'Right back there, that's it' 'That's what?' 'The muck fire ma'am. That field must have gotten hit by lightning, stirred up the muck fire.'" (Page 15-16)

In this quote, Paul's mother has called the fire department due to a smoke that she noticed early one morning. She learns from a not so helpful fireman, that it is from the muck fire behind their home. She knows instantly that it is going to be a continuous problem.

Although they are very hard to exterminate, there are some ways to temporarily stop the muck fires.

For example, by getting rid of dead brush, you can prevent muck fires from growing larger than they start out.

Or, rain can help slow down the fire as long as there is no lightning involved. If there is lightning involved, the fire will grow and spread and a lot smoke will rise from the ground almost instantly.

Our group came up with a solution of our own. We think that a good idea would be to install high power sprinklers or lightning rods near areas with muck fires.

Our Sources:

Bloor, Edward. Tangerine. Orlando: Harcourt Brace, 20071997. Print.

"Fighting muck fires takes complex battle strategy - Tampa Bay Times." Tampa Bay, Florida news | Tampa Bay Times/St. Pete Times . N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2013. <http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/article629970.ece>.

"Florida Disaster - The website for Florida disasters online - FloridaDisaster.com." Florida Disaster - The website for Florida disasters online - FloridaDisaster.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2013. <http://floridadisaster.com/fires.html>

THE END! :)

Muck Fires!!!

A Natural Disaster.

Due to this problem, many people's property can be damaged and streets and homes can become very dangerous. The fires give off smoke making the air hard to breathe.

Why are

Or....

THE END :)

"Fighting muck fires takes complex battle strategy - Tampa Bay Times." Tampa Bay, Florida news | Tampa Bay Times/St. Pete Times . N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013. <http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns

"muck fires."http://tangerinediscussion.blogspot.com/2009/04/vocabulary-words.html. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2013. <http://tangerinediscussion.blogspot.com/2009/04/vocabulary-words.html>.

Bloor, Edward. Tangerine. Orlando: Harcourt Brace, 20071997. Print.