(as published in "The Moon Letter", July 1996 issue)
With the intent to examine the remains of the Wolf House for any clues as to the cause
of fire, a multi-disciplinary team of ten experts in fire investigation met in Glen Ellen
in May 1995 and spent four days going through the remains of what once was a magnificent
15,000 square foot structure.
Pieces of charred wood timbers remaining in the notched masonry pockets where beams
connected to the stone walls were studied to determine the most likely progression of the
fire. The timbers in the dining room were burnt more severely than in the other rooms.
From these clues, the area of origin appeared to be in the dining area located on the
ground floor under the library and study. The remaining timbers in the pockets in the
adjacent grand living room were canted and showed signs that they had failed first by the
force of the tile roof dropping down and then subsequently they were charred by the fire.
The dining room had the only fireplace finished with wood in the house. The eight other
fireplaces were finished in stone. The significance appears to be that workman were
applying finishing oils to the wood the day of the fire.
A complete review of the design and construction documents; witnesses statements and
historical records were considered, along with a computer recreation of the structure, in
order to determine the most probable cause of the fire.
Although arson can not be completely ruled out, it is low on the probability list as the
dining area would not be the natural choice for an arsonist, nor would an arsonist be
content with a single place of origin. In addition, the site was so remote that traveling
to the house after dark would have required a lantern (easily observed from the London
ranch house) or risk breaking their neck.
August 22, 1913, was a typically hot and calm California night. This ruled out lightning
as a cause.
Building plans showed a telephone system, but there was no evidence that the system had
been installed.
The house was wired for electricity as evidenced by electrical junction boxes, conduit
embedded in the walls, copper wire, old knob and tube porcelain insulators, and an
electrical plan, however it does not appear that the system was connected to a generator.
There are several factors that strongly suggest linseed-oil stained rags as being the
culprit. There were no furnishings in the house at the time of the fire, yet it was known
that the cabinetry was being finished the day of the fire. Even though there are few
details of the interior finish, the local Santa Rosa Press Democrat newspaper reported
that the extent and quality of the walnut and oak interiors were magnificent. We know that
Jack's insistence on natural products and natural finishes would demand linseed-oil based
stains and varnishes, as these were the "industry standards" for fine woods, as
they had been for centuries. The most likely area of origin for the fire has been
identified as the kitchen or dining area on the ground floor of the west wing. This and
the library on the floor above would be precisely the areas where these finishes would be
used in greatest amounts. The hazards of careless disposal were known to the wood finishes
of the age, but knowing of a hazard does not imply elimination of it.
Prior to flaming ignition, the self heating process of linseed soil on cotton releases
large quantities of dense white smoke with a choking, lachrymatory effect, apparently as a
result of alkehydes (hexanal, heptanal, etc.) being generated. This smoke is readily
detected by a person in the vicinity or by modern smoke detection systems. In the Wolf
House, everyone was gone, and there obviously was no smoke detection system. A loosely
piled handful of cotton rags dampened with boiled linseed oil has been shown by our
experiments to be capable of self-heating to flaming ignition in a few hours.
The final key is temperature, however. We know that the higher the ambient temperature,
the lower the heat losses to the surroundings will be, and the faster the oxidation
reaction will occur. The one striking observation of London's neighbor was that the night
of the fire was the hottest night in memory, thus possibly providing just the one extra
factor to enhance ignition. The flaming fire created by even a modest pile of linseed
oiled rags can be sustained as a very energetic fire for more than an hour. This is surely
enough heat and time to ensure the ignition of any wooden shelves or cabinetry is close
proximity. The time factor is correct. Workmen reportedly left by 6 p.m.; Jack may have
visited there early in the evening, prior to smoke being detected.
Jack London State Historic Park
"Effective June 1, Jack London State Historic Park will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The park is scheduled to be permanently closed by July 1, 2012."
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