my Google-fu is weak

[dragonladyflame]

I am trying to write a dragon of fire that incorporates aspects of root fires. However, I know very little about root fires (the forest phenomenon). And every time I try to search teh Intarweb, everything I come up with has to do with some kind of music phenomenon named after root fires, or the album "Root Fire" by some band

Comments

[joaniechachi]

Googled: "root fire" forest tree

[dragonladyflame]

Dammit, I tried "'root fire' forest" and "'root fire' tree" and neither worked half so well.

Though I notice none of these seem to really explain what a root fire is. Hmm.

[joaniechachi]

Try adding some key words from any fact you know about root fires.

[crywolf]

Googled for: forest "root fire" -bedouin

On the third page of results is a link to a forum: http://www.myccr.com/SectionForums/viewtopic.php?p=130839&sid=b1434335ec1e906fd3c5c72cfd181181

The particular entry:
A root or sub surface fire is one where there are roots or other organic matter in the soil that get hot enough to smolder.
The dangerous part is that roots can act as a fuse and burst into flame several feet away from the source when they reach the surface, and if there are other combustables there you can get a very nasty, stubborn fire.
That is why you should put your hand on the bottom of the fire pit after you douse it. If it's hot you may have a root fire, and you better soak and stir again.Here is a link to the legal code for outdoor fires if you're interested http://192.75.156.68/DBLaws/Regs/English/960207_e.htm

[dragonladyflame]

Ooh, that's pretty good. Thanks. Now I can look for "sub surface fire" too.

Perhaps do you mean?

[worldnamer]

Are you speaking of surface fires?

[dragonladyflame]

Nope, definitely root fires.

More information

[worldnamer]

Are you speaking of when the roots of a tree catch fire but it's invisible from the outside?

[dragonladyflame]

Yeah ... but it sounds like they have the alternate name sub surface fires ... not surface fires. Unless they're also called surface fires. I guess they could be, so I shouldn't have just said "no", but it seems weird and unlikely. Are they?

[gm_928]

Wildland firefighters generally use the terms "ground fire," or "sub-surface fire." In some cases, the term "surface fire" is also used, and can be synonymous with "sub-surface fire." In other references, "sub-surface" and "surface" fires are defined separately, with "surface fire" occurring in the level of vegetation just above the ground. If you search for these terms instead of the more colloquial "root fire," you'll find more information

[dragonladyflame]

Awesome. I have learned important Google lessons today.

1) The - operator works. I don't know why I didn't consider that. It seems pretty obvious in retrospect.
2) Even if terms like "surface fire" don't sound like what you're looking for, you should make sure.
3) Ask gm_928 all your questions.

[foxfour]

also, look up moomintrolls and "fires under the moss".