When do the Locust get here? Earthquake,Hurricane and now Fire rains down on Virginia

[HipChick]

http://hamptonroads.com/2011/08/firefighters-awed-dismal-swamp-blazes-potency

In 19 years as a wildland firefighter, Jerry Hoffman had never heard a forest fire roar like it did earlier this month.

Hoffman was among the 50 firefighters doing burnout operations in an effort to stifle the 6,000-acre fire still raging in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

On that day, Aug. 11, the 38-year-old Michigan native had just finished another burn to eliminate fuels for the growing fire. Wind whipped every which way. Spot fires flared around him.

One minute, it was blue skies. The next, gray-brown smoke blocked out the sun and his surroundings. And that sound...

"We had never seen or heard fire behavior like that," said Hoffman, who retreated along with his fellow firefighters amid the uncertainty. "In my opinion, we had miniature tornadoes forming in the middle of the fire."

Another group had heard the sound a day earlier. Until he heard it himself, Hoffman didn't appreciate its power.

[gateley]

1. I told my friend if I were a Christian, I'd be thinking "Armageddon". nt

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[XemaSab]

2. Fire tornadoes are not unheard of

:(

[Cirque du So-What]

5. AKA 'fire whirl'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_whirl

Hard to believe a veteran firefighter had never experienced this phenomenon. I expect the journalist took artistic license with his comments for dramatic effect.

[XemaSab]

7. I was thinking they might not have them

back east?

[Warpy]

4. That's why they call them firestorms, they do form tornadoes

and they're even scary as hell when you're watching them on TV.

As for all those Virginia televangelists (and they do love Virginia), I think it's time to consider their own relationship with the almighty they've been using to milk millions out of the poor since the disasters are happening on their turf, not anyone else's.

[hlthe2b]

6. Maybe if they offer up Eric Cantor?

the "Gawds" will be appeased? :evilgrin:

[Kber]

8. I think the locusts show up shortly after the frogs, but before the cattle plague.

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. the locusts ARE here:

see pic below.
these are Alabama's POISON locusts, called...lubbers.
Yep, there are indeed land lubbers.

Land of the lubbers: Coastal Alabama's toxic, grasshopper-like lubbers reminiscent of Biblical plagues

Hatching out in March and April, the babies gorge on anything green through the spring and summer without fear of predators thanks to toxic compounds in their bodies. By August, the large adults, up to four inches long, are mowing their way across the Delta and through Alabama gardens like a giant eating machine.
In a neat trick of nature, the adults are believed to focus their diets on certain plants that render their plump bodies poisonous to predators.
more:http://blog.al.com/live/2011/08/land_of_the_lubber.html



spelling edit

[HipChick]

10. The Cicadas Come to Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia Every 17 Years

they were here in the Washington, DC area in May of 2004....if they happen to show up...for some reason...I'll just go ahead and leave for the UK...