Men Set Grassland on Fire Trying To Blow Up Gophers
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 03.25.08
Caddyshack
Sandy: I want you to kill every gophers on the golf course!
Carl Spackler: Correct me if I'm wrong Sandy, but if I kill all the golfers, they're gonna lock me up and throw away the key...
Sandy: Not golfers, you great fool! Gophers! The *little* *brown*, *furry* *rodents* -!
Carl Spackler: We can do that; we don't even have to have a reason. All right, let's do the same thing, but with gophers -!
Two Calgary men wreaked environmental havoc trying to kill gophers with a Rodenator, a device which pumps propane and oxygen into their holes and then blasts them out. Unfortunately the grass is really dry and flammable, and 160 acres, including several outbuildings were completely torched, with a value of C$200,000 (US$197,000 and falling)
"The gopher laughs heartily at your pathetic attempts to exterminate it. Image by Chuck Szmurlo via Environmental News
Fire officials told Reuters: "We had a couple of acreage owners out taking care of their rodent problem with this device," said Captain Joe Garssi of the municipal district of Rocky View's fire department.
"They did a few holes successfully and then hit a hole that didn't go in very far. When they filled it with propane it over-filled the hole...and when they ignited it (fire) flashed out of the hole into the grass beside them." ::Reuters via ::Environmental News
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