MIDLAND -- Downtown Midland was on fire Thursday night.
The flames were as tall as buildings.
It sounds terrible, but the sight was amazing.
The fire came from propane burners attached to hot air balloon baskets, and they were lined up all the way down Main Street.
Enormous flames lit up Main Street in Midland Thursday night.
The sight and the warmth attracted hundreds of spectators to the Main Street Balloon Glow.
"It really heats you up because when you're standing right next to it, it makes you really warm, because I didn't bring a sweatshirt," said Jake Mclaughra, who watched the Balloon Glow.
The wind made it impossible for these balloonists to take flight, so they spent the night shooting flames at each other.
"Am I missing any hair?" said Balloon Pilot Rick Kerber.
I was invited to get in on the action.
On an average flight that lasts about two hours, a balloonist will burn 40 gallons of propane; it's called twinkling your burner.
The Midland Fire Department stopped by, they were a little uneasy to say the least.
"It’s like holy smokes, that's a lot of fire to be letting off in downtown Midland," said Midland Firefighter Mark Laux.
Two propane burners in a hot air balloon give off about 30 million BTU's. That's three times the warmth of a furnace, or think of it this way…
"A kitchen match burned down is one BTU, so 20 million is like all ten million Michigan residents with a kitchen match in each hand," said Balloonmeister Tom Bergeon.
A hot air balloon also converts more fuel to energy than a jet. It looks dangerous, but Pilot Jeff Faber has taught his 8-year-old daughter Sydney how to make the burner glow.
She says it’s like...
"Roasting marshmallows," said Balloonist Sydney Faber.
"It’s good for her to grow up knowing that her parents love her and have a good time doing a hobby together," said Pilot Jeff Faber.
It’s a hobby that makes them burn for adventure.
Weather permitting, this weekend the hot air balloons will launch in Midland.
NBC25’s Jessica Harthorn will be riding in one of them Saturday.
So if you see her, make sure and wave!
28 balloonists took part in the Main Street Balloon Glow.
