CA's Largest Wildfire Ever Started by a Hammer

[James]

"California’s largest wildfire was ignited by a scattered spark or hot metal fragment formed when a Potter Valley rancher used a metal hammer last summer to drive a large metal stake into a yellow jacket nest on a dry, grassy slope on his Highway 20 ranch, Cal Fire said Thursday."

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/9675690-181/spark-from-hammer-metal-stake?artslide=32&slide=GAL

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Why in God's name would you drive a metal stake into a yellow jacket nest? I read they weren't prosecuting him. I guess it's because he already was punished enough?
Everyone knows a 12 gauge shotgun is a better tool for that job.

 

[James]

Why in God's name would you drive a metal stake into a yellow jacket nest?

Yeah, truly bizarre.
Because when all you've got is a hammer?...

 

[Tricia]

Whoa!

 

[Snowfan]

Why in God's name would you drive a metal stake into a yellow jacket nest? I read they weren't prosecuting him. I guess it's because he already was punished enough?
Everyone knows a 12 gauge shotgun is a better tool for that job.

The story reads that the nest was in the ground and he used the metal stake to plug the entry/exit.

 

[Lauren]

Yeah, truly bizarre.

Yup, for a moment I thought the link was gonna point me to The Onion.

 

[James]

The story reads that the nest was in the ground and he used the metal stake to plug the entry/exit.

Still crazy. Put window screen over the hole. Then apply poison, hot water, water/soap, etc
Or drive a metal stake in so hard you're shooting sparks.
Moral of the story in dry summer, if a small fire starts call the fire department right away, then try to put it out.

 

[scott43]

Everyone knows a 12 gauge shotgun is a better tool for that job.

Flash suppressor??

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I'll bet those wasps are dead though.

 

[James]

I'll bet those wasps are dead though.

So using a metal stake in the hole does kill wasps.
How's his ranch?