Graffiti Highway

[Burdman44]

So this was fun. Quick back story: This town tried to get rid of their landfill by setting it on fire in 1962. This ignited the underground coal seam (mining town) - they couldn't put it out. It's still burning underground today, and when it was under this 1.1 mile long section of highway, it melted the asphalt/destroyed it. You can see the new highway they built next to it in high altitude scenes. According to locals, people starting "tagging" it around 2007.

Obv, the footage from 1:30 - 2:14 isn't from my Spark (would be nice if DJI let us fly ACRO tho, right? lol) - that's a clip from my heavily modified Diatone GT-M3 race/freestyle quad. Enjoy.

Graffiti Highway.mp4

 

[pmshop]

I have heard about that town.
Never heard about the actual cause though.
Incredible that it is still burning

 

[Burdman44]

I have heard about that town.
Never heard about the actual cause though.
Incredible that it is still burning

Yeah, no kidding! Locals said something about the fact that since natural coal requires so little oxygen to continue smoldering, there was just no way to get it all put out. Apparently, several attempts were made to tunnel into the coal seam/douse the fire, but there was always at least one little pocket that stayed lit, so it always reignited full tilt shortly after each attempt.

Honestly, it was a little depressing checking out the town after "Spark-ing" (pun intended). The fire killed all the coal mines, and that's all there is out there work-wise. Thus, the town's economy has been completely depressed since the '60's, and it's now incredibly impoverished. As there hasn't been a single cent invested in the town for decades, walking down main street felt a bit like we were walking through a movie scene set in the '60's; everything from the stores' signs to the gas pumps looked 60's-esq. ...can get a lot for your money property-wise out there though - one local said he paid $29,000 total for his 5 bedroom/4000 sq ft home on 12 acres :-O

 

[windryder]

In Wyoming there are coal seams that have been burning for more then 100 years. Also I have heard that NW New Mexico there are coal seams burning for years. There is no way to put out the fires. I have heard that they have covered the fires with tons of dirt and still they burn until there is no more coal to burn.

 

[Driverman930]

So this was fun. Quick back story: This town tried to get rid of their landfill by setting it on fire in 1962. This ignited the underground coal seam (mining town) - they couldn't put it out. It's still burning underground today, and when it was under this 1.1 mile long section of highway, it melted the asphalt/destroyed it. You can see the new highway they built next to it in high altitude scenes. According to locals, people starting "tagging" it around 2007.

Obv, the footage from 1:30 - 2:14 isn't from my Spark (would be nice if DJI let us fly ACRO tho, right? lol) - that's a clip from my heavily modified Diatone GT-M3 race/freestyle quad. Enjoy.

Graffiti Highway.mp4

That was VERY COOL!!!

 

[graywoulf]

I couldn't get the video to play. Can you provide a YouTube link?

 

[Gavieboydgi]

I couldn't get the video to play. Can you provide a YouTube link?

You have to open it in drive app to play. It works for me

 

[Burdman44]

I couldn't get the video to play. Can you provide a YouTube link?

No prob, sorry about that:

 

[graywoulf]

Thanks for the new link. That is a very unique stretch of road for sure.