The Senator - 5th Oldest Tree in the World - Caught Fire!
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The Senator - 5th Oldest Tree in the World - Caught Fire!
Historic tree catches fire in central Florida park
Associated Press – 2 hrs 53 mins ago, LONGWOOD, Fla. (AP) — Firefighters say one of the world's oldest cypress trees has caught fire and collapsed in central Florida.
It's unknown what caused a 118-foot-tall bald cypress tree named "The Senator" to catch fire early Monday.
Seminole County Fire Rescue spokesman Steve Wright tells the Orlando Sentinel the tree burned for several from the inside out.
Firefighters arrived around 5:50 a.m. and pulled more than 800 feet of hose through the woods to the fire. Wright says a 20-foot section of the tree fell off around 7:45 a.m., and the tree collapsed a half-hour later.
According to the county's parks and preservation department, "The Senator" was roughly 3,500 years old.
Parks officials say the tree reached a height of 165 feet before a 1925 hurricane lopped off its top.
http://www.cfnews13.com/video?clip=http ... title='The Senator' on fire
Associated Press – 2 hrs 53 mins ago, LONGWOOD, Fla. (AP) — Firefighters say one of the world's oldest cypress trees has caught fire and collapsed in central Florida.
It's unknown what caused a 118-foot-tall bald cypress tree named "The Senator" to catch fire early Monday.
Seminole County Fire Rescue spokesman Steve Wright tells the Orlando Sentinel the tree burned for several from the inside out.
Firefighters arrived around 5:50 a.m. and pulled more than 800 feet of hose through the woods to the fire. Wright says a 20-foot section of the tree fell off around 7:45 a.m., and the tree collapsed a half-hour later.
According to the county's parks and preservation department, "The Senator" was roughly 3,500 years old.
Parks officials say the tree reached a height of 165 feet before a 1925 hurricane lopped off its top.
http://www.cfnews13.com/video?clip=http ... title='The Senator' on fire
- Triple Creek Reaper
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Re: The Senator - 5th Oldest Tree in the World - Caught Fire
Now that is a d**n shame. That one was one cool tree. I hate to see something like that go. Someone had to of started that fire, we haven't had in lightining in a long time.
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Re: The Senator - 5th Oldest Tree in the World - Caught Fire
Not sure, they are saying maybe internal combustion due to it being so hollowed out and full of so much debris or a lightning strike since the fire started on the inside. I sure hope it wasn't arson!
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Re: The Senator - 5th Oldest Tree in the World - Caught Fire
I would almost guarantee you its internal combustion. For the same reason that lumber mills have to keep irrigation going all the time on stacked up lumber and cut trees. With no rain in the last few months, it sounds completely plausible
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The Senator - 5th Oldest Tree in the World - Caught Fire!
It hasn't internally combusted in 3500 years, I vote arson.
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Re: The Senator - 5th Oldest Tree in the World - Caught Fire
it hasn't mostly been dead on the inside for 3500 years either.
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Re: The Senator - 5th Oldest Tree in the World - Caught Fire
What a shame to lose such a landmark. I've heard about it but never seen it in person.
I think spontaneous combustion is very possible. If you've ever worked around a compost pile or around hay, wood chip piles, etc. you know how warm they can get as part of the natural breakdown process. And a cypress can get lightered up, or fat, like a pine, so it doesn't take much heat to get that stuff going. Oh well, 3500 years ain't a bad run!
I think spontaneous combustion is very possible. If you've ever worked around a compost pile or around hay, wood chip piles, etc. you know how warm they can get as part of the natural breakdown process. And a cypress can get lightered up, or fat, like a pine, so it doesn't take much heat to get that stuff going. Oh well, 3500 years ain't a bad run!
"My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!"
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Re: The Senator - 5th Oldest Tree in the World - Caught Fire
You are correct, Gary. That's pretty much how muck fires get started. Dump a pile of yard clippings in your yard and the next day you can't stick your hand in it. However, a newer news report is stating they found a pile of debris at the base of the tree that is leaning this towards arson
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Re: The Senator - 5th Oldest Tree in the World - Caught Fire
Well, if it proves to be arson, I hope there's enough tree left to string them from it or tie them to it and let the fire ants have a go.
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Re: The Senator - 5th Oldest Tree in the World - Caught Fire
no arson according to news the eve. slow burning strike from a few weeks ago. high winds and drought finished the tree. saw it many times when I lived in Longwood. Imagine-3500 years old. a real shame.
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