Q&A for How to Escape a Minefield

You shouldn't get anywhere near anything you aren't familiar with if you are in a minefield. As previously stated, there is a chance that random items are actually booby traps. Proximity mines do not exist; modern mines and ones made before today only explode upon contact.

Trip wires are designed to be camouflaged by color, so if you are in a grassy area the, wire is green; if you are in the desert, the trip wires are tan. You may be able to see dew drops on the trip wires if the sun hits them and makes them shine. Also, if the mine has a pressure release detonator, it has to be pulled tight and you may be able to see them then.

Most dogs that have great senses of smell can be trained to become mine detecting dogs. Mine detecting is a skill developed over time for dogs, not one that occurs naturally in specific breeds.

It would take too large an amount of bullets. You need confirmation that you have hit every inch of the terrain, because getting only 99% still means you're dead if you step there. But more importantly, this simply doesn't work. Shooting bullets at mines neither makes them explode nor disables them. You would simply end up with a lot of mines with a lot of bullet holes. Granted, carpet bombing would perhaps explode some of them, but definitely not all. And even if this did work, it would only clear the area you bombed. Not to mention the destruction to nature and property, noise pollution, and plant and wildlife death.

Try using the flashlight on your phone and probing, but before doing this, try calling someone on your phone for help.

It depends on the injury, as most mines will either leave you dead or massively injured. In the case of amputation, there is nothing to do other than apply pressure and hope for the best. If there are cuts and burns, don't remove foreign objects, as you can cut blood vessels, thus making it worse. Instead, clean it as much as possible, preferably with Germ-X or other antimicrobials on hand, although clear liquor or sugar (salt as well but extremely painful) will work if there is nothing else to hand. Hopefully you can escape/contact help in time.

Yes, it is possible for weather to trigger a landmine. Most landmines are from conflicts such as WW2 etc. and are still capable of exploding.

Butterfly mines are brightly colored (typically green) and are made of plastic. They only explode if significant pressure is applied to the wings. Children are often drawn to the bright coloring.

Tell the children to not pick up any toys or food they did not have as these can be landmines in disguise. Also tell them to stay away from any areas marked danger minefield. Help them to know what the signs of minefields are.

No, you won’t be able to outrun an explosion as shrapnel flies everywhere, even if you are a really fast runner. Also, if you step directly on a landmine, you will instantly be killed or severely wounded.

If you find a minefield put up a sign that reads “danger minefield” to help protect others from harm. Let the army know what you have found so they can deal with its removal.

Minefields can be found anywhere where there is or was an active conflict. For example, the Korean demilitarized zone may contain mines both planted by DPRK and ROK, and the Afghanistan countryside is littered with mines planted by both the IEA and the IRA.

Bomb disposal involves using robots and specialized techniques to identify and safely disable explosives. If you suspect that you encountered an undetonated explosive, call emergency services immediately and evacuate the area. Your life is more valuable than your possessions.