Bringing fire and steel to life

SRL founder Mark Pauline watches the V1 fire cannon warm up before the show.

Survival Research Labs artist Kimric Smyth checks on his Boeing-engine-based machine.

SRL founder Mark Pauline (bending over) checks the status of one of the machines.

SRL's V1 fire canon torches an art piece.

The noise level and the amount of fire and feverish activity were nearly overwhelming, although the crowd of 2,000 wasn't complaining.

SRL's Inchworm does its thing.

San Jose's fire marshals watch the SRL show.

CNET News.com reporter Daniel Terdiman brandished a fire extinguisher in case something went wrong during the setup for the Survival Research Labs show in San Jose, Calif., on Aug. 11, 2006.

Fire and burned out machines are everywhere as the SRL show nears its end.