Can an Ammo Box Survive a Forest Fire?

[+GrnXnham]

Well it looks like we have 3 caches in or near the Carbon Copy Fire NW of Mt. Rainier. You can see the smoke nearly every day from the Puget Sound area.

 

Luckily, all 3 caches are ammo boxes. I wonder what a Tupperware container would look like after a fire??

 

We can't wait to go up there after the fire is out to see what our ammo boxes and their contents look like! I'll bet if there are any McToys inside, they will melt but hopefully the ammo box will survive.

 

Has anyone else experienced a cache going through a forest fire?

[+Ladybug Kids]

We've replaced two ammo cans that experienced and didn't survive the Interior Alaska fires of 2004 and more than 6 million acres burned. Check out the below links for the logs and photos of the containers:

 

Granite Tors: That ammo can appeared to have exploded during the fire.

 

Taiga Cascade: We didn't take the best photos of the can. It was in better shape than the Granite (Torched) Tors cache, but the paint was burned off it, the gasket was gone, and the log book was pretty charred. Things melted, but they didn't burn because we suspect not enough air could get into the container.

 

Good luck with your caches!

[+Criminal]

The box will likely survive but the seal may be melted or charred. Sorry to hear about your caches. If you need a couple more boxes let me know, I have a few extras.

[+TotemLake]

Luckily, all 3 caches are ammo boxes. I wonder what a Tupperware container would look like after a fire??

Think shrinky dinks.

[+SUp3rFM & Cruella]

One of the several caches found in Barcelona was caught in the fire. It was the (GCJZE7) Nebraska Spot. You can see how it was after the fire here.

 

Then garri recovered it - almost new again!

[+Patudles]

I have found two plastic container caches that survived forest fires. One was a rubbermaid in the ground under a rock and survived pretty good. A little discolored but still sealed okay. The other was a plastic thermos hidden in the rocks in the Pennicles State Park. Again is survived very well with a little melting but still usable. So I guess it depends on how hot the fire and what is covering it.

[+ravens3]

Luckily, all 3 caches are ammo boxes. I wonder what a Tupperware container would look like after a fire??

 

We can't wait to go up there after the fire is out to see what our ammo boxes and their contents look like! I'll bet if there are any McToys inside, they will melt but hopefully the ammo box will survive.

 

Has anyone else experienced a cache going through a forest fire?

 

Oh, my yes. For the past month, we've been wondering about the fate of our cache, GCWNKM, which is (was?) in the path of the Tripod fire. The owner of a TB that is placed in the cache posted a note asking that the bug be moved along, and I gave them the unfortunate news that the bug will probably be delayed until the snow flies. All roads in the general area have been closed since the fire started. The fire burned all around the area of the cache, but because the cache is at the summit, where there are light fuels, it may be safe. We probably won't get access again until November, but at that time, I'll post of picture of what a lock N lock looks like after a fire. As for any McToys, it's my feeling that this would be the best possible fate for them. Not the same for the TB, which may have to continue its trip with a hunk of plastic attached.

 

For views of the fire, see:

http://www.inciweb.org/incident/pictures/341/

[+Prying Pandora]

I have found two plastic container caches that survived forest fires. One was a rubbermaid in the ground under a rock and survived pretty good. A little discolored but still sealed okay. The other was a plastic thermos hidden in the rocks in the Pinnacles State Park. Again is survived very well with a little melting but still usable. So I guess it depends on how hot the fire and what is covering it.

 

This is the one in Peshastin Pinnacles State Park

 

[+Bluesman63]

Here's a victim of last years School Fire. Trust me, it don't smell very good when that rubber seal burns! With the current Columbia Complex Fire, I figure I have at least one ammo can that's toast and possibly a second one containing a Green Jeep.

Edited September 1, 2006 by Bluesman63

[MarcusArelius]

Here's a victim of last years School Fire. Trust me, it don't smell very good when that rubber seal burns! With the current Columbia Complex Fire, I figure I have at least one ammo can that's toast and possibly a second one containing a Green Jeep.

 

 

Do you have the link for the travel bug in the picture? It would be interesting to see what happened to it.

[+Bluesman63]

Here's a victim of last years School Fire. Trust me, it don't smell very good when that rubber seal burns! With the current Columbia Complex Fire, I figure I have at least one ammo can that's toast and possibly a second one containing a Green Jeep.

 

 

Do you have the link for the travel bug in the picture? It would be interesting to see what happened to it.

 

Here you go: Phoenix Lizard

 

I cleaned up the tag and snail mailed it back to the owner. Bug owner came up with a clever idea for a rebirth and sent it back out. To bad the bug only made it as far as Spokane before it disapered. The ammo can got tossed into my dumpster.

[The Phantom Cacher.]

Ammo cans can last up to a limited amount of time in a fire which is not very long. Other than that military ammo cans are the best choice for caches in forests. D

Edited September 2, 2006 by The Phantom Cacher.

[+popop]

I just picked up a this Travel Bug from a cache on the Oregon Coast. Only the tag itself survived a Florida fire and now travels from forest to forest (as per it's stated goal) attached to a message about our individual responsibility for preventing forest fires. As a career forester and manager of public forest land I'm glad they didn't just archive their TB but changed it's purpose for a nobler cause.