Autumn winds bring amber to Latvia's coast – but also the dangerous "fake amber"
Liepāja-based amber hunter Ilze Vainovska warns that alongside real amber, the Kurzeme coast still hides dangerous white phosphorus, which can cause severe burns.
As autumn sets in and days grow shorter, the sea winds along Latvia's Kurzeme coast pick up strength, marking the start of amber-hunting season. It is exactly this strong wind that washes amber ashore, which is why many enthusiasts eagerly wait for stormy, windy autumn weather.
One person well acquainted with this pursuit is Ilze Vainovska, a resident of Liepāja. She is among those coastal locals who look forward to windy days, since that is when the sea deposits amber along the shore.
A dangerous look-alike
However, amber hunters need to be aware that the beaches of Kurzeme still conceal not only valuable, harmless amber but also a hazardous substance: white phosphorus. This material is sometimes referred to as "fake amber" because its appearance can be deceptively similar to the real thing.
Unlike amber, white phosphorus is not safe to handle. When it warms up and dries out, it can spontaneously ignite, and such ignition can cause severe burns to anyone who has picked it up or kept it close without recognizing what it actually is.
For this reason, experienced amber hunters, including Ilze Vainovska, urge anyone heading to the sea in search of amber to stay alert and cautious about their finds, since what looks like amber could in fact be a dangerous piece of white phosphorus. Knowing how to tell the two substances apart can help prevent serious injuries caused by unexpected ignition.
