Fire

Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames are produced. The flame is the visible portion of the fire. Flames consist primarily of carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen and nitrogen. If hot enough, the gases may become ionized to produce plasma. Depending on the substances alight, and any impurities outside, the color of the flame and the fire's intensity will be different. Fire in its most common form can result in conflagration, which has the potential to cause physical damage through burning. Fire is an important process that affects ecological systems around the globe. The positive effects of fire include stimulating growth and maintaining various ecological systems. Its negative effects include hazard to life and property, atmospheric pollution, and water contamination.

Read more in the app

Archaeologists Find Oldest Evidence of Fire-Making

Archaeologists Discover Earliest Evidence of Fire-Making

Ancient humans mastered fire-making 400,000 years ago, study shows

Comets were on fire this year – for better or worse

Archaeologists Discover Earliest Evidence of Humans Using Tools to Make Fire

Ancient Humans Were Making Fire 350,000 Years Earlier Than Scientists Realized

Neandertals mastered fire-making tools 400,000 years ago

Science in a World on Fire: The Impact of Donald Trump's Anti-Climate Policies on Social Psychological Research

Watch the Avatar movies ahead of Fire and Ash next month with this Disney Plus and Hulu Black Friday deal, now just $4.99 a month

Fire Breaks Out at COP30 Climate Talks in Brazil

Life-saving research on extreme heat comes under fire

Billions of Years Ago, Fire Forged the Continents That Made Life Possible

Hubble Spots a Glowing “Ring of Fire” in a Distant Spiral Galaxy

Neanderthals and Mesolithic hunter-gathereres lit the fire: Humans shaped European landscapes long before agriculture - EurekAlert!

Tweaked lithium-ion battery can be pierced without catching fire

Fire in the sky: Strong summer storms in the Midwest send wildfire smoke into the previously pristine stratosphere - EurekAlert!

Forged in fire: The 900°C heat that built Earth’s stable continents

When Fire Brought Ice to Mars

Fire provides long-lasting benefits to bird populations in Sierra Nevada National Parks - EurekAlert!

'Avatar: Fire and Ash' trailer is packed with epic battles, family drama, and giant robot crabs! (video)