Chinese Lantern Lands in Tree

[MickyWay]

No, this is not the volcano, just a Chinese lantern landing in a fir tree! We've had a few pass quite low to our house, this is the result of the damage one of these things can do. Luckily no one was hurt, but a greenhouse and a shed was destroyed. The person who launched it, to his credit, immediately realised what had happened and the emergency services responded really quickly, and the damaged was limited.

This sort of incident will become more frequent as time goes on. Nothing will be done, of course, until the day someone gets hurt.

[nitram100]

Yeh, these things are a blumming pain, have to keep reminding my sister that she is NOT seeing UFO's

[Euan]

I'm still amazed these haven't been banned yet, as you say it's just a matter of time before something tragic happens

[Psychobilly]

Hmmm....

This pic needs a wider audience... send it to the local rag for starters...

I wonder who's going to pick up the bill for the call out and the "damage"...

Peter...

[Andrew*]

Wow - crazy picture.

My brother-in-law witnessed one of these things do extensive damage to a historic building in Weimar. They are now banned in Germany....

[steve_bham]

They look nice but can cause major damage, farmers hate them becuase of the metal ring at the base. Have killed a fair few animals when they eat them.

[zhgutas]

I always thought something like this could possibly happen every time I saw those things in the sky.. People just don't realize that stuff doesn't just disappear. You can't know where it's gonna end up. It's similar thing with balloons. Of course, they won't burn your barn down , but there are plenty of documented cases of suffocated dolphins etc. As I say, it's just a fancy disguise for littering..

Marius

[MickyWay]

Hmmm....

This pic needs a wider audience... send it to the local rag for starters...

I wonder who's going to pick up the bill for the call out and the "damage"...

Peter...

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the suggestion, I've now sent the picture to our local paper. What really amazed me was how long it took for the whole tree to catch alight. Seconds not minutes!

If it had been closer to the house, or a different wind direction, the outcome could have been dreadful.

[steve_bham]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the suggestion, I've now sent the picture to our local paper. What really amazed me was how long it took for the whole tree to catch alight. Seconds not minutes!

If it had been closer to the house, or a different wind direction, the outcome could have been dreadful.

They def go up quick! xmas trees are the same when the lamps overheat.

[Talitha]

We're entering our 7th year of drought conditions here in north central Wisconsin.... i can't begin to imagine how deadly a lantern could be. Although we have fire spotters in towers, their job is mostly in early Spring before the vegetation begins growing. And i'm not sure if they spot at night, either.. i think it's mainly daytime smoke they look for.

In any case, i hope anyone found launching one of those things here would be charged with attempted arson.

[lunator]

Colin

Glad no real damage was done.

Have you thought about sending it to the local BBC stations and the pic of the week bit that they have.

It may create some addition interest.

Cheers

Ian

[MickyWay]

Hi Ian,

Yes, that's going to be my next move. The more people that see what these things can do, the closer we may get to a total ban.

[MickyWay]

We're entering our 7th year of drought conditions here in north central Wisconsin.... i can't begin to imagine how deadly a lantern could be. Although we have fire spotters in towers, their job is mostly in early Spring before the vegetation begins growing. And i'm not sure if they spot at night, either.. i think it's mainly daytime smoke they look for.

In any case, i hope anyone found launching one of those things here would be charged with attempted arson.

Hi Talitha,

We're a bit slow on banning anything dangerous here in the UK, and I'm suprised that bans on Chinese lanterns aren't imposed in certain parts of the US and Canada, especially the forested areas.

I like the idea of charging someone with attempted arson, that might work!

[John]

I was shocked to see that photo but not suprised when I think about it. 3 of these darned things drifted over our house last night and we are surrounded by large conifers

[Tim]

Those C.Lleylandii go up like a bomb with the slightest spark under them, I set fire to a conifer hedgerow when I was a teenager, a bit of glowing carboard ash blew off the fire and under the hedge and that was all it took.

[Wurzil]

Hi Ian,

Yes, that's going to be my next move. The more people that see what these things can do, the closer we may get to a total ban.

Ok Im playing devils advocate here! (and my tongue is in my cheek).

I understand that some things can be dangerous but we cant just ban everything. Fireworks probably cause more fires than lanterns - shall we ban them as well?? And what about alcohol and cigarettes and cars and saturated fats and skateboards and loud music?

I personally think we're very efficient at banning things in this country....civil liberties....yadayadayada.

w

[Tim]

Most of those things are banned or at least supressed in some way in some places, usually where the use or abuse of them infringes on the civil liberties of the majority.

One of the first 'rules' we learn as children is probably not to play with fire. Unleashing a naked flame into the environment with absolutely no control of where it goes, lands or gets stuck seems irresponsible in the extreme to me, and demonstrates a selfish lack of concern for both the property of other people and the environment at large, just so those who light the damned lanterns can look at the flickering light for a few brief seconds and go "ooooh, isn't it pretty". What are they, moths?

[Mr Spock]

Hmmm, this is giving me ideas about my neighbour's hedge...

[brianb]

demonstrates a selfish lack of concern for both the property of other people and the environment at large, just so those who light the damned lanterns can look at the flickering light for a few brief seconds and go "ooooh, isn't it pretty". What are they, moths?

No, but they have about the same amount of common sense

[BAZ Senior]

[Q "ooooh, isn't it pretty". What are they, moths?

That's giving Moth's a bad name!

[steve_bham]

Ok Im playing devils advocate here! (and my tongue is in my cheek).

I understand that some things can be dangerous but we cant just ban everything. Fireworks probably cause more fires than lanterns - shall we ban them as well?? And what about alcohol and cigarettes and cars and saturated fats and skateboards and loud music?

I personally think we're very efficient at banning things in this country....civil liberties....yadayadayada.

w

The items you have mentioned are already controlled, and have been many convictions of criminal damage. However there is no control with the lanterns you light it say "oohhhhhh pretty" when its out of sight go in doors and forget all about it!

[661-pete]

Another vote here for a total ban, no arguments, no 'if's no 'but's. Prosecution for arson for anyone who launches one. And please consider yet another interested party who get grief from these wretched things: our nation's coastguards. When they drift out to sea the lanterns can be mistaken for flares from boats in distress...

[Astro_Baby]

Actually I'd be against banning stuff too - as an ex shooter who had had their sport effecitively banned I have seen HMG start banning lots of stuff ever since.

Bans on green lasers being likley for us in our hobby. How much longer before telescopes are banned - very dangerous things telescopes. I can see reasons to ban them forthwith;

1/ Extremely dangerous in the hands of children - you can be blinded.

2/ Threat to air traffic - people with green lasers can cause aircrashes

3/Threat to security - they look like rocket launchers and cause distress with the public

4/ The one used to ban so much stuff and decalijmed by those in office whenever a ban is bought in - "I dont see why anyone would want to do it - there are other forms of entertianment"

If you think this could never happen then you are very wrong- governments have tried banning all sorts of things. In the 1950s the Australian government seriously considered banning sun bathing on health risk grounds but also because thay saw it as idleness. Theres no limit to what a government can ban and the most simple things can be banned forthwith. Certain sweets in the UK were banned and only a few months ago there was someone campaigning for the banning of ballpoint pens (dangerous things apparently).

Before you start screaming about bans you should remember in the UK we have no constitution. You have no right to anything - you are allowed to do that which is not declared illegal by parliament which is a very different thing from a right.

Lots of things have the potential to cause harm - So should we we ban all of those as well ? How about a general curfew for the entire population - that would reduce the risks and why should people be out at night anyway - dont they know theres a thing called television.

[Wurzil]

thats what i was trying to say...lol

[Beyond_Vision]

Well all I can say is 'Not In My Back Yard'