What is a Muck Fire?
Muck Fires
Muck fires are fires that burn underground. They are started (usually
in late winter/early spring in Florida) when buried decomposing vegetation
spontaneously combusts or is ignited by lightning strikes. This happens
during the dry season as the vegetation begins to dry out. Because heat is
not transferred well in these conditions, areas that are still moist will
produce heat from the process of decomposition. The heat accumulates to
the point where it can ignite dryer material adjacent to the area of
decomposition.
These fires can burn for weeks, and are extremely hard to extinguish.
Most of the time they don't cause any problems, but occasionally the work
their way to the surface, and can ignite material above the ground. But the
majority of them just smolder underground, and create a horrible odor that
lasts for weeks.
Muck fires are underground fires under a layer of duff in marshy areas.
Muck fires are started when lightning strikes the ground and starts to burn.