Coast Guard to Set Oil Spill On Fire

The fastest way to clean up an offshore oil spill may well be fire. The Associated Press reports that the Coast Guard will torch the massive oil spill off the coast of Louisiana in order to prevent oil from reaching the shore. Last week, the offshore drilling platform the Deepwater Horizon burst into flames and sank into the ocean, leaving 11 workers missing and an underwater well spewing oil into the sea. The controlled offshore burns could begin as early as Wednesday afternoon and are aimed at protecting coastal wildlife, including the egrets and brown pelicans that nest on barrier islands, and the fish eggs and larvae that coat the coast at this time of year.