The Beauty of Earth’s Elements
The beauty of Earth’s elements comes from the fact that they seldom occur continuously unless you live in a very specific region of the world. Rainforests experience significant yearly rainfall, and active volcanoes tend to spew fire at unprecedented rates.
Source: Wikimedia
While many people around the world admire waterfalls, very few see a flame that has been burning for more than a few days. However, this became a reality for one lucky man from New York.
Fisherman Videos Eternal Flame
Mike Loughran, a gym teacher, fisherman, and photographer, recently traveled to upstate New York and came across an irresistible “never-ending” flame hidden behind a waterfall.
Source: @fishlikemike/Instagram
The Buffalo-based teacher captured the rare event on video and shared it online, per a report from Newsweek, which immediately garnered the attention of viewers from around the world.
Over 21 Million Views
The teacher shared a clip of the perpetual flame to his Instagram account @fishlikemike, a few weeks after the start of the year, and it immediately caught the interest of millions of people around the world.
Source: Freepik
In the time that has elapsed since the January 20th posting, the video has achieved viral status, garnering an impressive 21 million views.
A Naturally Occurring Eternal Flame
During a hike on January 17, Loughran revealed he stopped at the Eternal Flame Falls in Orchard Park in the western portion of the state of New York.
Source: @fishlikemike/Instagram
The video shows the flame burning just behind a waterfall in a snow-covered forest. He added the following caption: “A rare naturally occurring eternal flame!”
One of Nine Eternal Flames
Loughran did some research into the eternal flame in his home state before he set off on a journey to see it in person. According to the teacher, it is a rare site as only a handful of similar flames exist around the world.
Source: Wikimedia
“This flame is one of the nine big naturally occurring eternal flames we have here on earth. Some argue there are more, but many refer to the nine big ones,” added Loughran.
Natural Gas Flame
According to the Buffalo native, there is a simple explanation behind the flame’s burning: natural gases that rise from the Earth below gather in the small chamber.
Source: @fishlikemike/Instagram
“This flame here is one of the more famous eternal flames due to its location inside of a waterfall. They occur because of cracks in the earth that leak a combination of natural gases,” he said.
Century-Old Fire
The teacher went on to theorize that the flame has been burning for well over a century and suggested that the fire was first lit “well over a hundred years ago by either a lightning strike or a human being.”
Source: Wikimedia
Loughran continued, “The flame being inside of a rock wall inside of a waterfall gets great protection from winds and water since the flame is about an arm’s length deep into the falls. It does occasionally blow out in rare heavy wind and weather storms. Hikers often bring a lighter to relight the flame.”
Eternal Flames Fall
Reaching the unique natural flame is a fairly easy task. It’s located inside a small cave close to the base of the Eternal Flame Falls at Chestnut Ridge Park which is found within the Erie County’s Orchard Park.
Source: Wikimedia
According to an article published on Visit Buffalo Niagara, the region’s tourism website, those wishing to hike to the flame can do so by way of a trail with several signs that will lead you right to the mesmerizing glare.
Study Investigates Flame
A 2013 study on the eternal flame, published in Marine and Petroleum Geology, suggests that it “may have burnt naturally for many hundreds or even thousands of years.”
Source: @fishlikemike/Instagram
However, according to researchers from the Visit Buffalo Niagara website, it’s not actually an eternal flame. Instead, it’s an eternal natural gas “leak.”
A Unique and Extremely Unusual Molecular Composition
The study, which investigated the eternal flame located within the confines of Chestnut Ridge Park, explained that it results from a “natural seepage of shale gas.”
Source: Freepik
Nonetheless, the researchers appeared fascinated by the flame’s unique location, which sits elegantly behind a beautiful waterfall. The study’s researchers also said they are also interested in the flame because it “exhibits a unique and extremely unusual molecular composition.”
Social Media Blown Away by the Flame
It wasn’t just the researchers who took delight in observing the tantalizing flame. One user commented under Loughran’s post, writing, ” Honestly, the world [really] is magical. We just forget [because] we use science to understand it better, and too many of us aren’t connected to nature.”
Source: Wikimedia
Hundreds more shared their views. Noellebercy wrote, “This is so cool. I love Earth.” While jimiblackrose added, ” Coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”