20 Fun Facts about Fire That You Never Knew

20 Fun Facts about Fire that You Never Knew

Fire, that mesmerizing dance of flames and flickering embers has held humanity’s fascination for millennia. It is also one of the four elements that made up the universe according to ancient civilizations-‘Earth, Wind, Water, Fire.’

 It’s both our closest ally, keeping us warm on chilly nights, and a relentless foe when it decides to go rogue. But there’s more to fire than just being the ultimate BBQ-making machine or the reason we no longer live in caves.

Did you know that flames can burn hotter than the surface of the sun? Or that a house fire can double itself every 30 seconds? And let’s not forget the strange phenomenon of fire-walking. Ever wondered how that is possible? This article lets you in on some quirky facts about fire you probably never knew. See how many check your ‘I didn’t know’ list!

Whether you’re a science fan, an aspiring pyromaniac (just kidding, please don’t play with fire), or someone simply curious about the fiery facts that make our world go ‘whoosh,’ this article is your backstage pass to the blazing spectacle that is fire. Take a look!

1. Fire is a chemical reaction, not a thing

Fire is the result of combustion, a chemical reaction involving three key components: fuel (solid, liquid, or gas), oxygen from the air, and heat. Fuel contains stored chemical energy, oxygen serves as an oxidizer, and heat initiates and sustains the reaction. Ignition, the initial heat source, triggers the breakdown of fuel molecules, which combine with oxygen, releasing energy as heat and light. This self-sustaining process generates the flames we see in various contexts.

2. Spontaneous combustion is real

Photo by Max Kleinen on Unsplash

Spontaneous combustion is a phenomenon in which a substance or object ignites and catches fire without an apparent external source of heat or ignition. This occurrence is often puzzling because it seems as though the fire starts on its own. However, spontaneous combustion typically has underlying causes that can be explained by chemistry and physics.

Certain organic materials, such as piles of hay, cotton, or oily rags, can undergo spontaneous combustion. This happens when heat-producing chemical reactions occur within the material due to bacterial decomposition or oxidation processes. The heat generated builds up until it reaches the ignition temperature, causing the material to ignite.

Some chemicals, such as phosphorus, can spontaneously ignite when exposed to air. White phosphorus, for example, can burst into flames when it comes into contact with oxygen.

3. The supply of oxygen influences the color of the flame

Photo by David Monje on Unsplash

When oxygen is low, the fire gives off a yellow glow. This is because it contains many un-combusted fuel particles. On the other hand, a high-oxygen fire will burn blue. A candle flame is thus blue at the bottom because that’s where it takes up fresh air (more oxygen), and yellow at the top.

4. Water can be made with fire

It’s all chemistry. If you place a cold spoon over a flame, you’ll notice small droplets form on its surface from the condensed water vapor. The candle wax has hydrogen, which combines with oxygen to make water. This is also true for most organic materials, such as wood and gasoline. The hydrogen bonds present in burning organic material combine with oxygen to make water.

5. Fire can double every 30 seconds

Assuming that all conditions (fuel, heat, and oxygen) are stable, a fire can become twice its size in half a minute. A typical house fire, for example, can completely engulf the building in just about 3 minutes. This is why immediately evacuating a burning house is critical.

6. Pyromania is a deadly condition

Speaking of house fires, pyromania is an impulse disorder characterized by the urge to start fires. People with pyromania are often fascinated by fire and feel a sense of excitement or relief when they set fires. They may also feel a sense of control or power over fire.

Image by Eric from Pixabay

One of the defining characteristics of pyromania is the emotional satisfaction or relief experienced when engaging in fire-setting behavior. This emotional response sets it apart from arson, where fires are typically set for specific motives or goals.

Pyromaniacs often have a strong fascination with fire, which may include an intense interest in fire-related media, frequent visits to fire scenes, or collecting fire-related paraphernalia. Pyromania is considered relatively rare, and it typically affects males more often than females. However, it can occur in people of any gender.

Pyromania can be challenging to treat, but psychotherapy, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), is often used to help individuals manage their impulses and develop healthier coping strategies.

7. More people die from smoke inhalation than the fire itself

As fire burns, it takes up oxygen and produces poisonous smoke and gases. Smoke people die from carbon monoxide poisoning first before the fire gets to them. The smoke is also known to disorient the mind, hence the panic once a fire starts. You could live in a building for years but fail to find the fire exit when a fire occurs.

8. Earth is the only known planet where fire can burn

This is basically because fire needs oxygen to burn, and Earth is the only known planet with sufficient oxygen for combustion. However, other planets in our solar system have some of the ingredients needed for fire.

For example, Mars has an atmosphere that contains oxygen, but it is much thinner than Earth’s atmosphere. This means that there is not enough oxygen on Mars to support a fire. Venus is another planet that has an atmosphere, but it is composed mostly of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a non-combustible gas, so it will not support a fire.

9. The Olympic Flame is started using sunlight

In ancient Greece, the Olympic Flame was started using a polished bronze mirror called a “skaphia.” The sun’s rays were focused through this mirror onto dry herbs, igniting a small flame. This sacred fire symbolized purity and the connection between humans and the gods.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

The flame was then carried from Olympia to the host city of the Olympic Games in a relay, lighting the cauldron during the opening ceremony to officially start the Games. This tradition continues in the modern Olympic Games, emphasizing the historical significance of light and fire in Greek culture. The Olympic flame is lit at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games and extinguished at the Closing Ceremony.

10. The first electrical fire alarm was invented in 1890

The first electrical fire alarm was invented by Francis Robbins Upton in 1890. Upton was an American physicist and electrical engineer who worked for Thomas Edison at General Electric.

Upton’s fire alarm system consisted of a network of heat detectors that were connected to a central alarm panel. When a detector sensed heat, it would send a signal to the central alarm panel, which would then sound an alarm.

It was a breakthrough in fire safety. It was the first fire alarm system that could detect fires early and warn people to evacuate before the fire could spread.

Upton’s fire alarm system was quickly adopted by businesses and industries around the world. It helped to save many lives and reduce property damage from fires.

Today, electrical fire alarm systems are commonplace in homes and businesses. They are an essential part of fire safety and help to protect people from the devastating effects of fires.

11. It is claimed that the first fire hydrant patent was destroyed in a fire

Image by fancycrave1 from Pixabay

It is as ironic as it gets. No one knows the owner of the first patent for the fire hydrant because, in 1836, a fire in the Washington patent office is said to have destroyed it. Other claims cite a flood.

That notwithstanding, the invention of the fire hydrant is often credited to Frederick Graff, Sr., who was chief engineer of the Philadelphia Water Works around the year 1801. However, Graff never patented his invention. It is possible that he planned to patent it, but the fire destroyed his patent application.

Without the original patent, it is difficult to say who definitively invented the fire hydrant. However, Graff is generally credited with being the first person to develop a working fire hydrant.

The fire hydrant has played an important role in fire safety for over 200 years. It has helped to save countless lives and property by providing a reliable source of water to fight fires.

12. Lightning is the most common natural cause of wildfires

Lightning can start fires by igniting dry vegetation, such as grass, leaves, and needles. It can also start fires by striking trees and other objects, which can then ignite nearby vegetation.

Photo by Michael Held on Unsplash

Lightning-caused wildfires are often more difficult to control than human-caused wildfires. This is because they can occur in remote areas that are difficult to access. Additionally, lightning strikes can occur in multiple locations at the same time, which can make it difficult for firefighters to respond to all of them.

While lightning-caused wildfires can be destructive, they also play a natural role in many ecosystems. Some plant species have adapted to benefit from periodic fires, as fire can clear out underbrush, release seeds, and rejuvenate certain habitats.

13. Trees can explode in a wildfire

While trees don’t typically explode like a bomb in a wildfire, they can experience explosive phenomena due to the intense heat and rapid combustion of their internal sap or water content. If there is enough water deep within it, the steam produced by the high temperatures can cause it to explode

14. Mankind was been using fire for over 1 million years

The earliest direct evidence of controlled fire use by early humans comes from archaeological sites dating back to around 1 million to 1.7 million years ago. The species Homo erectus is often associated with the controlled use of fire.

Fossil evidence suggests that Homo erectus lived around 1.9 million to 140,000 years ago and is considered one of the first hominins to harness fire for various purposes.

United States National Museum (Smithsonian Institution), Washington D.C., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Fire would have been critical in the evolution and survival of humans. One of the earliest known traces of fire use was found at the Daughters of Jacob Bridge, Israel. Here, archaeologists found evidence of the use of fire to cook food.  Fire would have also provided early humans with warmth and protection from predators.

15. There is a legend about fire too!

It has its roots in Greek mythology, and this does not come as a surprise. One of the most famous Greek legends involving fire is the myth of Prometheus and the theft of fire from the gods. Prometheus was a Titan, a race of divine beings that predated the Olympian gods in Greek mythology.

Heinrich Füger, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

 According to the myth, Prometheus had great sympathy for humanity, who were living in a primitive state and darkness. To help humanity, Prometheus decided to steal fire from Mount Olympus, the realm of the gods, and share it with humans. With fire, humans could cook their food, stay warm, protect themselves from predators, and make tools.

However, Prometheus’s act of stealing fire enraged Zeus, the chief of the Olympian gods. As punishment, Prometheus was bound to a rock on Mount Caucasus, where an eagle (or vulture) would come daily to eat his liver, which would regenerate each night, subjecting him to eternal torment. The story ends well for our hero though; he was eventually rescued by the hero Heracles (Hercules).

16. The Peshtigo Fire is the deadliest in American history

U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The deadliest fire in American history is the Peshtigo Fire, a devastating wildfire that swept through northeastern Wisconsin and parts of Upper Michigan on October 8, 1871. It is often overlooked because it occurred on the same day as the Great Chicago Fire, which was much more widely reported. The Peshtigo fire also occurred in a rural area, while the Great Chicago Fire occurred in a major city.

However, the Peshtigo fire tops the list of the most devastating fires in American history in terms of loss of life, killing an estimated 1,200-2,500 people. The fire burned through 1.2 million acres of land, including the towns of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, and Marinette, Wisconsin.

Its origins remain uncertain, but it is believed to have been triggered by a combination of dry weather, strong winds, and the presence of logging operations and wood debris. The fire spread with astonishing speed, creating a wall of flames that engulfed entire communities in its path. It serves as a reminder of the power of nature and the importance of fire safety.

The world has witnessed devastating fires in history; read on.

17. Fire can travel at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour

Fire can travel at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour. However, the actual speed of a fire depends on several factors, including the type of fuel, the wind conditions, and the terrain.

For example, a fire in a dry grassland can travel much faster than a fire in a wet forest. A fire with a strong wind behind it will also travel faster than a fire with no wind. And a fire on a steep slope will travel faster than a fire on a flat surface.

18. The concept of fire brigade dates back to ancient Rome

The earliest recorded instances of organized firefighting come from ancient Rome. In 24 B.C., the Roman emperor Augustus established a group known as the “Vigiles” (watchmen) who were responsible for patrolling the city, detecting fires, and responding to them. The Vigiles also had equipment such as buckets and pumps to fight fires.

When a fire broke out, the Vigiles would be alerted by a system of watchtowers and signal fires. They would then respond to the fire with their fire engines and water pumps. The Vigiles would also use buckets and other tools to extinguish the fire.

They were also trained to rescue people from burning buildings. They would use ladders and ropes to reach trapped people and help them to safety. Their success and organization served as a model for later fire brigades. Today, fire brigades are found in almost every country in the world.

19. Fireworks originated in China

Photo by Ray Hennessy on Unsplash

Fireworks originated in China over 2,000 years ago. The earliest fireworks were made from bamboo stalks that were filled with gunpowder and ignited. These early fireworks were simple, but they were very noisy and produced bright flashes of light.

The Chinese used fireworks for a variety of purposes, including religious ceremonies, festivals, and celebrations. They also used fireworks for military purposes, such as signaling and scaring away enemies.

Over time, the Chinese developed more sophisticated fireworks that were made from a variety of materials, including paper, silk, and metal. They also developed new techniques for creating different colors and effects. Fireworks knowledge gradually spread from China to other parts of Asia, the Middle East, and eventually to Europe.

Today, fireworks are used for a variety of celebrations around the world, including New Year’s Eve, Independence Day, and Chinese New Year. They are also used for sporting events, concerts, and other special occasions.

20. Wonder how people fire-walk?

Firewalking is an ancient practice of walking on hot coals or stones. It is believed to have originated in India and China over 2,000 years ago. It is often used as a form of spiritual purification or to test one’s mental and physical strength. It is also sometimes used as a form of entertainment. Ever wondered how they do it? Well, no magic is involved. It’s a matter of science and skill.

Arie Basuki, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 The Leidenfrost effect, for example, makes it possible to fire-walk without burning up. This is where a thin layer of sweat forms a protective barrier between the foot and the hot coals. It is also concluded that the foot does not touch the hot surface long enough, and embers are poor conductors of heat. However, fire-walking is still considered a dangerous activity that requires skill and caution.

There we have it! 20 fun facts about fire. Whether some of them struck you as interesting or obvious (fellow chemistry geeks!) one thing is for sure, fire remains a fascinating phenomenon that we can’t do without.