Mine fires documentary: Mike Rowe's take on 'Scorched'

By MyFixitUpLife Explore it HisFixitUpLife

Mark shared the documentary about mine fires with Mike Rowe, who watched the short video. The video, and his take on the documentary is below.

Mark mine fires Scorched documentary — Mark hosts ‘Scorched’ documentary about mine fires in Pennsylvania.

Hi Mark,

Despite your lack of intestinal fortitude vis a vie a simple salutation, I clicked on the link you provided, and watched the 6-minute video you recommended, and apparently hosted.

I found it to be rather remarkable. The topic is compelling, the writing is sharp, the photography is excellent, the music is terrific, and your performance on camera belies the social anxiety that kept you from coming over and saying hello, which I must insist you do in the future, should our paths ever cross again.

Seriously, this is really, really good, and deserves many millions of views. I hope you get ’em.

Congratulations.

Mike

Coal mine fires can burn for centuries. Can we harness the energy? WILL we harness the energy? Here’s a look at just a few of the intractable coal mines fires–both above and below ground. Some will burn for centuries. Right. Beneath. Our. Feet.

So many heartfelt comments on this video are popping up on YouTube. Just wanted to share one with you here.

“I too am here because of Mike Rowe. I’ve known about Centralia, I’m sure lots of people do, but even I didn’t know the full scope of the problem or the devastation it caused until I found a documentary on it here on YouTube. And it’s saddening, and maddening at the same time. Sad to see such decay and loss, sad to know how carelessness started it. But also maddening.

“And the question I keep coming back to is why? And how? It seems impossible that fires so deep underground could continue burning for decades and even centuries. And yet, they do. And like any fire, they consume and they produce. They consume the enormous amounts of coal still buried, and they give off some and fumes and goodness knows what else.

“The land above the coal the fires consume gradually becomes uninhabitable. And then to see the economic loss and hardship that comes with it. My heart breaks for the thousands of people around the world affected by these fires.” -Gale Christianson