We weren’t present to have an opinion of the kid’s level of understanding, aside from whatever disobedience there might have been. It’s likely the parents themselves didn’t realize ahead of time how poorly separated the soft sandy earth and caldrons are from the public. They probably have to keep moving the make-shift barriers as the terrain and hot spots evolve and continually emerge.
We have a hot spring on our property and we tap into it to heat the driveway, house, barns, and our pool. The kids stay away from the pump house because it’s hot and because we tell them to stay away from it.
I know that the idea of keeping a child in order is considered child abuse these days but I don’t worry about our kids going into the pump house and getting boiled alive.