"I don't want to set the world on fire..."

 

A shivering planet...frozen stuff usually shrinks if it's solid. I know water expands, (that's got to account for summat else, for another time). Click how I might, I couldn't get a flame out of my electronic lighter. Pondering on how it was supposed to work, the crystal I mean, I knew I was out of gas. Maybe I don't have the right terminology, Electostatic ignition, iz what I'll call it.  We are going through historic times for those who survive the Cyclical crisis. A waning Magneto sphere, combines with record few sunspots in a Grand Solar Minimum,(this one is the Eddy Minimum). Seismic unrest, shuddering tectonic plates, grinding subterranian surface of the Cratons. Exciting crystaline energy. The Californian Craton edge corresponds with the line of spontaneous combustion, starting firestorms along the forest line. Crystals rubbing, sparks generated. Where's the gas? Leaf litter, composting on the forest floor produces alcohol vapour a by product of decomposition  The Earth is losing heat. Not that everyone would notice, "in an all of a sudden way.." It rises y'know. I've heard... Much of the sun's warming rays are filtered through rising volcanic ash clouds, projected by rising thermal currents.Ash Grey is the new blue in this region. This is a humid zone. A cooling planet under the shadow of ash laden cloud cover.

 Where was I. Oh yes. The alcohol vapour in the composting leaf litter. The leaf layer acts as an insulating blanket,keeps the cold out, keeps the rising heat in. The temperature build up accelerates the decomposition fermentation increases. Alcohol vapour breaches the insulating layer, we now have a volatile gas mixture close to the ground. "Electronic ignition",graciously provided by the crystaline under belly of the Craton grinding against the Shield in underlying bedrock. No doubt in my view, given all variables, that there would be many points at the interface of forest and Craton edge  where the carburration mix of alcohol vapour and available Oxygen will have reached critical mass , tinderdry leaf litter and synchronous random electrical activity, some of which would likely ignite . Reportage has shown fires starting spontaneously as if by some man made orchestrated act of arson. Believe what you like. The Geology and the surface flora are not seperate entities. One layer effects the next until energy finding the line of least resistance  discharges from earth to air. Some of those discharges are bound to be hot, look where they've been. Sparks fly from there on in....... Explore all natural causes first.