NOTE in the room... the plot "thickens"

[Vern Humphrey]

tracers are good at starting grass fires, but in wwI they couldnt even ignite the hydrogen in the german derigibles.

For the same reason they wouldn't ignite the jet fuel in those tanks -- no oxygen.

[jim-d]

Spent about a year working on the flight line at NAS Oceana in the mid 60's. We always had a fifty gallon drum about 1/4 full of JP5 that we tossed our cigarette butts into. As stated earlier, only the fumes are burning in any fire

[leftyo]

For the same reason they wouldn't ignite the jet fuel in those tanks -- no oxygen.

exactly.

[TomSudz]

Indeed they can start fires -- but not by being fired into a vat of jet fuel.

Understood Vern. I was responding to the statement about tracers do not start fires. Please note that in my original post I described how even a road flare could be plunged into a pool of gasoline and not ignite the gas.

[pcox]

I'm guessing he used his 308 scoped rifle for the tanks.
BTW.... wouldn't the tank have a rubber bladder in it that shrinks as you draw the fluid down so their is NO room for vapors?
and...a couple of years ago...myth busters were shooting gasoline tanks with tracers and NOTHING happened.

If the tanks are the ones pictured in the link, then they have no bladder and no floating roof inside. There may be a nitrogen blanket on top of the liquid fuel. I've built a lot of them like those. One quarter inch floor plates, first two rings are usually three eighths thick, quarter inch the rest of the way up. A36 mild steel or 285 grade C.

[Major Tom]

Didn't ISIS claim responsibility for the 2017 hurricane season?

No, that was blamed on Trump according to Hillary.