It has been a long while since I read anything about UCG technicalities ..... but from my hazy memory there are a lot of factors to control. It is definitely high temperature. Before ignition you have to understand the site's water table and consider how changes in local underground pressure might affect it. Each burn is a unique task.
LNC has proven itself to be an unreliable company as far as reporting things go. My hunch is there is probably some substance to the allegations.