Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
| Messages 1 - 18 of total 18 in this topic |
skitch
Gym climber
Bend Or
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 26, 2016 - 10:03am PT
|
I got to see the helicopters level with 395 as I was driving north, pretty rad.
It is believed that a pedal strike on the Lower Rock Creek trail acted like a flint and steel fire striker that caused the spark to ignite some tinder-dry grass. The fire burned for eight days and led to the evacuation of Swall Meadows, a town with a population of 220. It also caused a number of roads to be closed as it was contained by a crew of 338 personnel including five helicopters and 16 fire engines.
The investigation into the cause of the fire was described as “conclusive” with marks and metal fragments on the rock were used as evidence. The US National Forest Service said: “A fire ignition from this type of trigger is a testament to how dry the area is right now. All residents and visitors are asked to be extremely careful with anything that may cause a fire while you are out in the forest.”
A spokesperson for the Service has reassured mountain bikers that this is unlikely to affect trail access as it was not done maliciously, but it is something to be aware of for local riders.
Read more at https://dirtmountainbike.com/news/mountain-bike-pedal-causes-100-acre-wildfire.html#Zkx10pbHFJQHEIyA.99 |
|
apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 10:06am PT
|
Man, that sounds like a sttttrrrreeeeetttccchhh.
Or a strategy to limit access to a user group. Or both.
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 10:24am PT
|
Another fire in Swole Meadows? There's a message there.
|
|
FTOR
Sport climber
CA
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 10:37am PT
|
yes total bs, most if not all mtn bike pedals are alloy.
|
|
apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 10:39am PT
|
I'd love to see the forensic data of how they made that conclusion. My guess is it was nothing more than 'a mountain biker was seen in the area prior to the fire'. If that...
|
|
rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Shetville , North of Los Angeles
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 10:42am PT
|
I heard the fire was the result of a perfect storm scenario where gaseous exhaust from a horses ass was ignited by a hoof striking flintrock...?
|
|
HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 10:48am PT
|
USFS has no reason to make things up.
Quite the contrary, only by being as scientifically accurate as possible can they help people prevent fires.
I too am surprised as I assumed all mt bike pedals are aluminum alloy, like mine. However on the USFS Facebook page in the OP I quote:
Must have been one of those steel pins on the foot bed of the pedal as aluminum doesn't spark...how many steel pedals do see on mountain bikes these days? I'm not an avid cyclist so I wouldn't know Fire investigators are very good at locating the origin of the fire and then searching for evidence of the ignition source.
Then they work by process of elimination: weather conditions? Hot and dry: check. Windy? Direction of wind? lightning strike? none that day. campfire? none found......etc.
Freshly scarred piece of granite at point of origin?
A great many of the roadside brush fires in California are started by sparking trailer chains. As difficult as that is to believe.
|
|
limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 10:56am PT
|
A mountain biker, eh? Definitely weed.
|
|
apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 11:02am PT
|
"A great many of the roadside brush fires in California are started by sparking trailer chains."
That's sounds entirely feasible...you can see a stream of sparks from those trailer chains sometimes. (Though I doubt it's a 'great many'. Probably a few.)
But a single spark from a bike pedal? Who would even see that happen (aluminum alloy or not)?
If that FS District doesn't have an anti-MB agenda, then why would they hang this on such a remote mechanism? Just to provide a source for public information reasons?
|
|
klinefelter
Boulder climber
Bishop, CA
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 11:07am PT
|
I have flat pedals on my MTB, and like most of these that I've seen, there's steel cleats that would definitely be able to spark. And being a below-average rider I'm frequently catching rocks. Seems entirely plausible. The trail prior to fire was choked with dry cheat grass in many sections. Quite literally a tinderbox.
|
|
rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Shetville , North of Los Angeles
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 11:12am PT
|
Fred...No disrespect intended but I'm thinking back to the lame survival shows where actors spend hours trying to ignite dry grass using flint or rubbing sticks togehter...I'm having a tough time envisioning a spark from a cyclist pedal igniting grass...? locating the ignition point after the area has been fried to a crisp would be like searching for the needle in the haystack and impossible IMHO...?
|
|
ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Social climber
SLO, Ca
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 11:19am PT
|
I went to numerous fires started by bullets hitting rocks. Or that is what the investigations said. Those were desert fires with tinder dry grass, single digit humidity and Temps of 100+ so it really doesn't take much to start a fire.
Edit- it's easy (for investigators) to find the ignition point.
|
|
Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 11:51am PT
|
I went to numerous fires started by bullets hitting rocks. Or that is what the investigations said.
I go shooting from time to time at an outdoor range uphill from Azuza in the San Gabriel's down here.
When you check in at the shack, they look over your ammunition and check any type they don't recognize with a magnet. Bullets which contain steel start fires. Then out at the line, the range master comes around and checks again. If he finds any ferric ammo there you are out on your ass. They take it that seriously.
|
|
skitch
Gym climber
Bend Or
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 26, 2016 - 11:55am PT
|
90% of all mtn pedals have steel on them, Most flats have steel pins for grip, spd pedals have a large chunk of steel plates on both sides... I think it's a very plausible explanation.
|
|
skitch
Gym climber
Bend Or
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 26, 2016 - 11:59am PT
|
|
|
dee ee
Mountain climber
Of THIS World (Planet Earth)
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2016 - 12:03pm PT
|
Hmmmmm, that is an interesting hypothesis.
99% of pedals have a steel spindle and many have other steel parts.
Maybe someone was "dabbing," the cleats are steel.
Not my "triple ti" eggbeater pedals though.
|
|
| Messages 1 - 18 of total 18 in this topic |
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!