What Are the Dangers of Spontaneous Combustion With Wet Peat Moss?
- Peat moss results from dead sphagnum moss plants compressed by new growth. Over centuries the layers of dead plants build to create a spongy, moist bog which may be several feet deep. Commercial harvesters remove the living plants and provide drainage to the bog. The exposed layer of peat moss dries, and vacuum equipment drives across the surface to collect the dried plant matter. Other harvesting methods cut sections of peat from the bog and stack the blocks to dry.
- Peat moss plays a large role in gardening, both as a soil additive and as a potting medium. The moisture-holding ability of the moss helps to condition poor soils. Some areas of the world use peat as a source of heating because of its combustibility. For example, in Ireland peat fires add to the ambiance of pubs. Russia, Ireland and Finland generate electricity by burning peat.
- Extensive peat bog fires in the past seem to point to a high level of combustion danger. Actually, the danger comes from the difficulty of extinguishing a peat bog fire. Because the layers of peat settle into the contours of underlying topography, the bog may extend in many directions and for great distances underground. A fire in Santa Barbara County, California, began in September 2000 and burned for a year. A fire discovered in 1927 in Los Angeles had burned for several years without detection, according to the Los Angeles Times.
- While some possibility of spontaneous combustion exists, most peat moss fires begin in other ways. Greater danger of ignition comes from outside sources, such as discarded cigarettes, lightning strikes and downed power wires. The 2000 Santa Barbara County fire started from a downed power line that ignited dry brush and spread to the bog. Draining a peat bog or the areas surrounding it leads to drying of the bog and greater flammability.
Peat moss fires give off a pungent smoke that can be hazardous to those breathing it, especially people with lung difficulties. - Firefighters face difficulty in extinguishing burning peat moss bogs. The fire may extend many feet down into the bog or for a distance underground and out of sight. Peat moss burns long and slow, part of its attraction as a fuel source but a problem in an uncontained fire. Call for professional help immediately if a peat moss fire occurs.