3/30/2006: Wildfires melt metal sign, kill livestock

[observer]

Although the picture is listed as a metal sign, I suspect it was really plastic on a metal post. Otherwise all the other metal in the picture might have melted too.

[xoxoxoBruce]

All the other metal is steel (iron) which would require 2500 to 3000 degrees F.
I should think plastic would have burned, but you could be right.

[chrisinhouston]

If those images bring you down, click on the Scenery link- http://www.txfb.org/scenery.asp , It has some real nice Chamber of Commerce type pics. I like the piggies and the baby goats!

I lived through some wildfires in southern California and remember watching a wall of fire sweeping up one end of a canyon only to reach the end and come down the other side. Breathtaking!

[VinDurzle]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

All the other metal is steel (iron) which would require 2500 to 3000 degrees F.
I should think plastic would have burned, but you could be right.

Im with you there mr B... plastic would simply cease to exist under the kind of temps produced by such a fire. Also, plastic would not support its own weight when extruded in the manner of the material in the photograph...Its been a little while since I joined (apologies Brianna for the strop over the Afghanis) but just to say (to Undertoad?) good work! Always enjoy IOTD

[glatt]

I hadn't thought about it, but looking back at the image again, I think the sign is clearly plastic. The sign post has two cross members to support the sign. This would be consistent with posting a plastic sign, which would need more support to keep from flexing in the wind. Think of every aluminum stop sign you've ever seen. There are always two holes on a ceter post holding the thing up. Cross braces are rarely used for a metal sign this size.

Now look down at the ground behind the fence. There is an unbroken glass bottle. Everyone knows that glass breaks in a hot fire. It didn't break.

Now look over to the bushes here and there. They are charred, yes, but not incinerated. If the fire was hot enough to melt aluminum, those bushes would not be there any longer.

I think this fire was hot, but not super hot. It was hot enough to melt the plastic sign, but not hot enough to ignite it. I've seen pictures on the net of a Saturn that was parked close to a building that burned down. The body panels are all melted and droppy, just like this sign. Of course I couldn't find a picture now to show you, but I did find this melted vinyl siding picture.