Ground Sizzling at California Hotspot

[Dover]

What?

http://news.aol.com/article/the-ground-sizzles-in-california-hot/125510?icid=200100397x1207425986x1200383614

Okay a question for Californians - has this been reported before?
Because its news to me. They say it's been going on since at least the 80's.

And they suggest that it happens every 10 years or so due to dry conditions, and
that rain usually saturates it so it's not usually visible. Visible?

So my other question is, what is going on down below to bring that activity so close to the surface and is it 'extinguished' after rains or just covered up?
The guy they interview doesn't exactly seem like an expert -
"Could this be the birth of a volcano?"
"To my knowledge, no".
Right. Do they really not know what this is?



And finally, I read a story about a similar situation in Colorado not long ago that actually
burned a boys shoes. Same phenomenon?

[Warpy]

1. The one in Colorado was attributed to smoldering coal dust

I believe.

The one in California becomes visible in dry conditions and reportedly looks like a smoldering campfire someone neglected to extinguish completely.

No, they have no idea what is causing the one in California. Now that it's gotten wide publicity, perhaps it'll pique the interest of geologists all over the southwest.

[Dover]

2. I just find it hard to believe that an unusual phenomenon they've known about since the 80's

has not already attracted a lot of study by geologists.

I'm wondering if the oil drilling is the cause, somehow, as was briefly mentioned.

[kestrel91316]

3. There is an old landslide over a petroleum seep there,

and an underground burn of the gases and oil. No big mystery to the authorities once they investigated. It was basically, "Oh, THIS thing again......".

[itsrobert]

4. An area near Lompoc/Vandenberg AFB, CA

Had a peat bog fire. Which is similar. The bog was mainly underground and it smoldered for several months. Tha smoke combined with the traditional fog of that area reduced visibility along the highways for months.