Two off-duty New York City Police officers and two Utah tourists are being credited with helping to stop the intentional burning of what Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum a "jewel of the city."
Speaking from first hand experience, I want to point this out so people understand the danger involved. Gasoline is very easy to ignite with an open flame (lighter or match) but hard to light with a smoldering ember (like a lit cigarette). if you pour it on something porous like a pile of brush or gravel, then the vapors that get retained in the pile add an explosive element. But even a puddle of gasoline in a metal can outside on a windy day is extremely easy to ignite. You can pour it over wet soil and it will ignite immediately if you throw a match at it. If its wet with straight gas, it will light, and possibly explode with a big whoomph if vapors are retained. Take it seriously and respect it.
Kerosene, diesel fuel, and oil mixed gasoline are surprisingly hard to ignite unless they are poured over a wicking element like cardboard, fabric, or a fiberglass wick. Lighting a puddle of it requires a blow torch for a period of time to get the fluid up to the flash point.
If you are trying to start a bonfire with boyscout juice, never use straight gasoline. Mix it atleast 10:1 with oil or 5:1 with diesel to take the bite out of it, then it will light much more safely.
Speaking from first hand experience, I want to point this out so people understand the danger involved. Gasoline is very easy to ignite with an open flame (lighter or match) but hard to light with a smoldering ember (like a lit cigarette). if you pour it on something porous like a pile of brush or gravel, then the vapors that get retained in the pile add an explosive element. But even a puddle of gasoline in a metal can outside on a windy day is extremely easy to ignite. You can pour it over wet soil and it will ignite immediately if you throw a match at it. If its wet with straight gas, it will light, and possibly explode with a big whoomph if vapors are retained. Take it seriously and respect it.
Kerosene, diesel fuel, and oil mixed gasoline are surprisingly hard to ignite unless they are poured over a wicking element like cardboard, fabric, or a fiberglass wick. Lighting a puddle of it requires a blow torch for a period of time to get the fluid up to the flash point.
If you are trying to start a bonfire with boyscout juice, never use straight gasoline. Mix it atleast 10:1 with oil or 5:1 with diesel to take the bite out of it, then it will light much more safely.