Aftermath of Chinese Lantern Fire

[Macavity]

I don't think, give these REAL problems, even a low level, their demise will be a real loss to humanity. Along with "Rooftop Reindeer", "look-at-me" security lighting, and roadside banners proclaiming that "Brenda is Forty Today". I'm sure I can count on the support of SOME Brendas in this last...

[Chris H]

I am neither pro nor anti chinese lanters, but I am pro choice and pro personal responsibility. Adding more and more laws to the statute books will not make a safer society, only by creating an atmosphere in which people feel it is in their interests to do the right thing will make the country a better place to live. I have nothing further to say on the matter.

[MickyWay]

I think it was Oscar Wilde who said "Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone elses opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."

He opted for a liberal and free society where everybody's rights are protected. A solution is maybe not to be found.

What we all need are dark skies and good seeing. Too much time in the 'Lounge' I think!

[Talitha]

Honestly, if I lit one of these and it did cause a fire i'd be extremely sorry and regretful...

I honestly hope your property is never set on fire by one of these things.

But on the occasion that it is, perhaps the arsonist would be a kindred spirit who shares your feelings... it'd be a win-win situation. They'd get to watch their lovely little flame float away in the evening breeze, and you'd be able to take comfort in knowing that they were "extremely sorry and regretful" for the destruction they caused.

[themos]

OK, I was about to take the bait but thought better of it.

[Psychobilly]

I think it was Oscar Wilde who said "Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone elses opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."

He opted for a liberal and free society where everybody's rights are protected. A solution is maybe not to be found.

What we all need are dark skies and good seeing. Too much time in the 'Lounge' I think!

Here Here...

Which is probably the best place for the thread rather than the Astro Lounge...

[661-pete]

Well! I happen to work in the fire protection industry - don't know whether that gives me more authority than some to comment on this matter, but here goes:

It's all about the difference between a controlled fire and an uncontrolled fire. The flame on your gas cooker, the fire in your hearth, the candles on the dinner table, the bonfire in your back garden, the BBQ on the patio, the fireworks on 5th November - these are all cases of controlled burning. If you're particularly clumsy or inept - true, things could go badly awry, but you don't set out to make the fire uncontrolled. You watch your bonfire and make sure there's nothing to make it spread. You're careful not to knock the candles over. On Bonfire Night you follow the instructions on your firework. Accidents do happen but you can avoid them if you take the right amount of care.

And chip pans, etc.? I've plenty of experience of cooking and I know how to handle a chip pan without trouble. No-one wants to ban chips (however unhealthy they may be!) - too many people enjoy them! So don't over-fill the pan, watch it all the time, put the chips in as soon as the oil's hot enough, keep the heat down during frying, know how to deal with a fire if the worst happens... The whole point is that you set out to avoid a dangerous fire.

So we come to these Chinese Lanterns. Here, it seems, you light a fire and then let it drift totally out of control. It's cast into the air to become at the mercy of the four winds. It could end up anywhere. Sorry, but I rate that as an uncontrolled fire. The sort that is likely to end up with a 999 call and a ticking-off from the Leading Firefighter, at best. At worst...

...but they are no worse than someone throwing a cigarette end out of a car window or a broken bottle magnifying the sun light like a magnifying glass.

I happen to live quite near Ashdown Forest - a splendid area of unspoilt lowland heath and woodland, the best in SE England. Alas it often succumbs to wildfires - the last case was only a few weeks ago. We have been out walking in Ashdown and seen a fire burning - luckily we haven't been caught up in one - yet! I don't know if there's evidence that this last case was due to a cigarette, but they've often been identified as the cause. Please! Every car I've ever been in has been fitted with an ashtray. I'm not setting out in this thread to get at smokers, but if you do smoke, use it! And broken bottles. It's very rare for broken glass to start a fire - I don't know of any proven cases. But every household has a refuse collection. Do we have to put up with littering our countryside, so much of which is still so beautiful. PLEASE TAKE YOUR LITTER HOME!

[Astro_Baby]

Could I just say I have managed to burn down two houses and a hedge without any help from a Chinese Lantern

[661-pete]

...and I started an uncontrolled (well - unwanted, anyway) fire at the house in France, last autumn. We all get it wrong!

Story: we'd been burning off tree-prunings and other dry stuff in the back garden, a perfectly safe and properly controlled, clean bonfire with little smoke. When it had burned out, I collected up the ash with a shovel and dumped it on the compost heap. The idea being, to give the burnt circle of grass a chance to re-grow.

I neglected, however, to ensure that the ash wasn't still hot and smouldering. The compost (mostly grass cuttings) was bone-dry. Result: a second bonfire, this time a lot more smoky, with the smoke drifting straight into the house. It set off three smoke detectors inside the house (at least they were doing their job!).

We were scared for a while that the fire might spread to other parts, including our barn. But at the cost of many bucketfuls of water, we managed to contain it. No harm done. But it shows just how scary the real thing is. As I said, I work in the industry (the detection part of it) but I have little experience of real fires...

[SkyHermit]

Never really occurred to me that they could come down still alight. Get one float by every now and then. Think I need a fire exstinguisher in my beloved garden palace