Mulch spontaneously combusts in El Dorado Hills backyard amid high heat

Record-level temperatures played a role in a backyard fire in El Dorado Hills. Spontaneous combustion of mulch is the culprit, and the whole thing was caught on camera.

[@AlmaTheSojourner]

I've seen a pile of mulch smoke while it was snowing, it smoked for weeks while it decomposed.

[@hollymccurry0132]

Haybales will do this as well. If baled while wet if I remember right

[@tomsherwood4650]

Yep that apparently is what burned grandads ancient barn down. Decay in hay. And had nothing to do with G. W.

[@AhJodie]

Yes, and sometimes silos too.

[@persiancucumber9255]

Wow.

[@jayralston2305]

I can see this if the colorant on the mulch is flammable

[@matthewcurry3565]

Yeah compost and mulch does that. It already gets warm by itself.

[@tomsherwood4650]

The heat does not help but spontanious combustion in decaying matter like that can happen hot cold or middlin. Starts barn fires and nothing to do with weather although moisture from rain can motivate the decay processes as it is bacteria.

[@CelaWhitney]

this is not a new thing. I worked at an almond processing plant once and during harvest the hulls were trucked about thirty miles away to be processed later. they combusted the same way and had to be fought and watered for several weeks so the fire didn't spread to surrounding areas. a big mess.

[@UpxSetter]

Manure, Hay-bells, and Mulch will spontaneously combust when piled thick or when it gets too hot. Never put mulch against your house. Use river rock, grass, or turf.

[@CatKen-gq1ec]

Hardwood refinishers got to watch out in their vehicles in these hot days because same thing will happen boom the whole van goes up

[@LT-ot7yy]

Were you get that mulch a rubber tree. Looks like Tar or something.

[@AhJodie]

Mulch gets hot while breaking down, depending on what is in the fire, but this has happened in silos and barns in the past. Not just because it was hot, but the breakdown action gets hot. I have seen steam in the winter from my pile. I hope this does not cause a panic and people are not allowed to compost. Just be aware and put the pile somewhere where it won't catch anything else on fire.

[@DreamWalker_420]

Yeah my neighbor has piles of it in his yard and he won't take care of it, he said I probably have a good looking yard that I should move to a HOA residential area, try to explain to us they could combust and catch fire and I don't want my house to catch on fire,

[@jeretso]

There was a news video yesterday of a guy who lost his home insurance because of clutter.

[@DreamWalker_420]

@@jeretso thank you for that info

[@nikushim6665]

and this is news?

[@kimberlyreaves5321]

Wow!

[@marie032293]

Only in California 😢