Dizzy Posted June 29, 2018 Report Share Posted June 29, 2018 I often go up to Hill Cliffe on sunny day to look at the view which stretches for miles when it's a clear day. You can easily see Winter Hill from up there too...which is on fire Busy time for the fire service at the moment.....https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/gallery/pictures-winter-hill-fire-14843097 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted June 29, 2018 Report Share Posted June 29, 2018 I suppose we don't really expect to get the weather to support moorland fires ,even though it happens every few years. If higher temperatures are expected to be the norm during British summers maybe a more effective way of dealing with the fires could be worked on probably a means to smother the fires with special tracked vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted June 29, 2018 Report Share Posted June 29, 2018 A report on the local news yesterday said that, because it's peat, the fire goes below ground and can burn for a long time. Killing the flames on the surface isn't enough, only prolonged rainfall will do it. I can smell smoke even here in Penketh, and it was clearly visible up to the north after sunset last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted June 29, 2018 Report Share Posted June 29, 2018 Funnily enough Davey I was just thinking the same. You'd think that given most of the grass fires tend be in a line then something that could be rolled out to smother the flames to stop it's spread would be infinatly better than trying to beat it with paddles. I was watching a clip this morning of them doing this and it looked hopeless. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted July 1, 2018 Report Share Posted July 1, 2018 As Asp said; these are deep seated peat fires, which require copious supplies of water to extinguish; just be thankfull, we've not had high winds and according to the Met Office, forecast thunder storms may do the job - but I suppose they'll then be complaining of flooding ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 Just watching the footage this morning showing fire fighters working their tails off with beaters but it looked like it was having no affect whatsoever. I think beating paddles might be ok on a regular grass fire but on peat it looked like it might of been making it worse. It seems odd that despite all our technological achievements, we still deal with this just as we did several centuries ago. Maybe now that I'm retired I could put my mind to developing a solution to this problem and save the world again. Bill 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 Bill, don't the army have tanks that are used for laying temporary tracks to move other vehicles along ? I think the technology is already there to lay a smother blanket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 Probably have Davy but I think in the case of peat moors, it's still going to be burning deeper down even after the surface flames have been smothered. Lots of water is the obvious answer but when its so remote that's usually in short supply. I was thinking more along the lines of a machine that could be rolled along with a series of high pressure water spikes creating a relatively thin vertical wet curtain. It wouldn't require anywhere near as much water to very quickly stop the fire spreading and the water that's saved can then be squirted top side for what good that does. Just trying to get my head round the mechanics of this. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 Seems helicopter pilots have reported arsonists, starting fresh fires in this area - unbelievable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 They said that yesterday, keep up. I was just thinking that rather than calling in help from the army with their beaters, why not get the local farmers with their tractors. The tractors can certainly handle the terrain and their crop spraying gear can carry 1000 liters at a time. Ok you can't force them to do this but I bet if asked they'd do it willingly and wouldn't have as far to travel as the soldiers did. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 BILL, give it a rest, there's no easy or simple means of extinguishing such a fire, save a good down pour; and hopefully that may arrive soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 Of course there's a better way Obs, it's just that nobodies come up with it yet. What's the saying, Necessity is the mother of invention, well there's certainly a big need at the moment and if our "experts" are right about global warming, we may get a lot more of this sort of thing. So until I come up with an earth shattering garden shed solution we'll just have to keep beating it with big sticks or maybe import some rain dancers. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 The PM needs to appoint a Minister for Drought. Well it worked in 1976 (Dennis Howell) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 Don't get that Asp? Was he a rain dancer? Obs Thirty odd years ago, I started my own business after being told that something was impossible but it turned out it wasn't and that's how I made my millions. (Cough) I've been semi-retired for a year now and just about running out of challenges. So as yet another saying goes. "It's not being old that stops you doing things, it's stopping doing things that makes you old!" so bear with me if I prattle on a bit more than normal. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 Well the Yanks are usually top of the food chain when it comes to technology, and with the exception of aircraft involvement, they have exactly the same problems with their similar fires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 Nah. I taught them everything they know about technology while I lived there. Seems back then all the key people in the business were Brits and the Yanks all had masters degrees in BS. They may of gotten a man on the moon but we lost a dog on Mars. . Was in California a couple of years back and saw first hand the devastation it caused. In all the time I've spent over there I can't ever recall seeing anything resembling a moor so their forest fires in a mountainous terrain must be one hell of a problem to deal with. In comparison there's make our grass fires look like a little camping accident. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer II Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 Perhaps, given your expertise, you could travel up Winter Hill an help them out ! be carefull how you park your car though ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 (edited) Can't do that Obs. Had a bit of a rough landing on my last base jump and pulled a muscle in my back so I'm taking a bit of a rest hence the flood of posts. Hey that parking thing was a bit naughty. I've come down from the ceiling now but despite what everyone's saying they'd do, I don't think I like the sound of jail. No Wine, No women and No Song, that's just too big an ask to stick two fingers up at the council. Bill Edited July 2, 2018 by Bill I lied about the Song bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 2 hours ago, Bill said: Don't get that Asp? Was he a rain dancer? Bill The drought of 1976 last through June, July and August. Dennis Howell was a Labour MP (had been Minister of Sport at some stage) who was appointed by the PM (Callaghan I think) as Minister for Drought near the end of August and lo and behold a few days later he was re-appointed Minister for Floods (I jest, but the heavens opened and the reservoirs were re-filled). And of course at the time the climate experts were saying that this was how our weather would be forever after, droughts all the time, and as we know the experts (definition a has-been drip under pressure - ex-spurt) were wrong as usual. Sometimes we get droughts, sometimes we get floods. Weather. Oh, and the rain dancer thing - the PM is reported to have told him to do a rain dance. Whether he did or not I've no idea . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted July 2, 2018 Report Share Posted July 2, 2018 Ha Ha I do remember this now you've explained. Perhaps we should take the rain dance a bit more seriously. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted July 5, 2018 Report Share Posted July 5, 2018 Fire service are asking people out camping/picnicking not to use disposable Barbecues in moorland and wooded areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted September 8, 2018 Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 I'm stuck over in Oregon at the moment due to fires on a completley different scale. The main north/south motorway has a 50 mile section thats closed and not expected open for weeks. Theres smoke everywhere with people wearing face masks and lots of stuff geting canceled. Next stop is Sacromento which should normaly be a five hour drive but looks like it's going to be double that Breakfast time!!! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted September 8, 2018 Report Share Posted September 8, 2018 about what it normally takes to get across warrington at "rush hour". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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