Every year in California they have mondo brushfires. Most years it seems a couple of people die in their swimming pools. The Authorities warn people not to try to ride out a fire in their pool.
Well, gee I don’t know, it sounds safe to me. If I had a couple or three scuba tanks I could avoid smoke inhalation. (How long would be enough?) I presume a good-sized pool would provide themal protection, or am I wrong?
Presuming a nice 25M pool, below ground bordered by 10M of (fireproof) patio and let’s say three hours of scuba air, could it be done?
Many wildland fires are EPIC breathtaking sights to behold. Were talking full blown wrath of God level nightmare being unleashed on an area.
Pool or no pool you are talking about one of the most unsurvivable environments imaginable. Submerged with scuba gear…yeah you might be ok. Just kicking it in the pool expecting the fire not to harm you if you duck under now and then is foolish to say the least and lethal at the worst. I still would not want to try the scuba thing unless I had no other choice. Its not like your house is going to be there when you come up. IF you’re in a heavy woods area with decent winds those trees could keep burning for a while. If there is enough energy to heat your pool to more than 110 degrees or so, you’re going to die of hyperthermia in your pool even underwater.
The most deadly thing about bushfires is radiant heat. Imagine the feeling of standing very close to a campfire, and multiply that by a gazillion. Oven temperatures, walls of flame higher than the treetops, reduced oxygen, exploding trees… As drachillix said, 'taint exactly the most pleasant environment.
A pool would be dangerous simply because it is in the open. Surprisingly, the family car is one of the better places to ride out the fire (in a severe firestorm, nowhere is safe of course).