Reminds me of the time I needed to burn a twenty foot 'round pile of brush on the beach. Poured on about two gallons of gas all over and around it...
...did I mention that it was a really hot day...?
The 'ohnosecond' is measured as the time between when you start to strike the match and the time when it just barely flares and you realize that maybe this isn't a good idea...
But it did make an impressive mushroom cloud.
LOL!
Methinks these guys are heading that way as well.
Gas is bad. Lots of very nearly bad things have happened to me trying to start things with gas.
Starter fluid isn't nearly as explosive. It should just ~light~. But you can't pour it on it when it's already burning. The only dangerous thing is trying to add more when it's going but you want "more".
The trick, I've found with starter fluid, or gas for that matter is you can't wait... it evaporates quick. And with gas, that means it's the surrounding AIR that's gonna blow, not the wood.
Rosie, propane is just so much easier to make a quick dinner on... I think charcoal, with the time, mess, and hassle, is worth it at a party when it keeps the menfolk entertained, but not for every day. In a sense, I'm a little bit like your mom, I'm afraid of fire, but propane, assuming it's not leaking, is a lot safer to light.