Strange things in America: UP TO HERE When Tumbleweeds Attack

[hunter]

3. I grew up in Southern California

One day, after a night of Santa Ana winds, which were still blowing, a fence at school had tumbleweeds piled up against it like the pictures in the link. Some idiot lit them on fire.

OMG.

I was a pyro, but I wasn't insane. Fortunately the land on the other side of the fence was basketball courts and soccer and baseball fields. By the time sparks from the tumbleweeds had crossed the play field into a residential area, most of them had gone out.

Before air pollution laws, burning tumbleweeds on calm days was a common practice. You'd buy a burn permit and call the fire department on the day of the burn for a go or no-go.

Unfortunately, by the time the tumbleweeds were big and tumbling about, every day was a no-go.

Rolling, burning tumbleweeds quickly spread a fire.

My dad used herbicides, but only on tumbleweeds and poison oak.