Fire

Fire is a form of combustion. Most typically, the word fire refers to the combination of the brilliant glow and large amount of heat released during a rapid, self-sustaining exothermic oxidation process of combustible gases ejected from a fuel. The flames are a body of plasma that releases heat and light. Fires start when a fuel is subjected to heat or another energy source, e.g. a match or lighter, and are sustained by the further release of heat energy until all the combustible fuel is consumed.

Material used to start fires

The burning of wood is often the first association to the word fire, and trees have supplied much of the energy needed by humans since ancient times, and early applications of fire consumed large amounts of wood. Since the Industrial Revolution, hydrocarbon petroleum and coal has become a preferred fuel. Wood burning remains a heat source in many Third world countries and remote areas where other sources of energy are unavailable, often leading to deforestation. Accelerants can be used to spread fire faster or have it burn hotter.

Related Topics:
Wood - Tree - Industrial Revolution - Hydrocarbon - Petroleum - Coal - Third world - Deforestation - Accelerants

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