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Fire. A burning candle. Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. [ 1][ a] At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames are produced. The flame is the visible portion of the fire.
Fire is one of the four classical elements in ancient Greek philosophy and science. It was commonly associated with the qualities of energy, assertiveness, and passion. In one Greek myth, Prometheus stole fire from the gods to protect the otherwise helpless humans, but was punished for this charity. [ 1]
Flames of charcoal. A flame (from Latin flamma) is the visible, gaseous part of a fire. It is caused by a highly exothermic chemical reaction made in a thin zone. [ 1] When flames are hot enough to have ionized gaseous components of sufficient density, they are then considered plasma. [vague][ 2]
A fire class is a system of categorizing fire with regard to the type of material and fuel for combustion. Class letters are often assigned to the different types of fire, but these differ between territories; there are separate standards for the United States (NFPA 10 Chapter 5.2.1-5.2.5), Europe (DIN EN2 Classification of fires (European ...
Combustibility and flammability. A combustible material is a material that can burn (i.e., sustain a flame) in air under certain conditions. A material is flammable if it ignites easily at ambient temperatures. In other words, a combustible material ignites with some effort and a flammable material catches fire immediately on exposure to flame.
The Mangum Fire burned more than 70,000 acres (280 km 2) of forest. A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of combustible vegetation. [ 1][ 2] Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a bushfire ( in Australia ), desert fire ...
The control of fire by early humans was a critical technology enabling the evolution of humans. Fire provided a source of warmth and lighting, protection from predators (especially at night), a way to create more advanced hunting tools, and a method for cooking food. These cultural advances allowed human geographic dispersal, cultural ...
Fire ecology is a scientific discipline concerned with the effects of fire on natural ecosystems. [ 1] Many ecosystems, particularly prairie, savanna, chaparral and coniferous forests, have evolved with fire as an essential contributor to habitat vitality and renewal. [ 2] Many plant species in fire-affected environments use fire to germinate ...