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Fire

Rapid oxidation of a material; phenomenon that emits light and heat

Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion reaction when the fuel reaches its ignition point temperature. Flames from hydrocarbon fuels consist primarily of carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen, and nitrogen. If hot enough, the gases may become ionized to produce plasma. The color and intensity of the flame depend on the type of fuel and composition of the surrounding gases. Fire, in its most common form, has the potential to result in conflagration, which can lead to permanent physical damage. Fire directly affects land-based ecological systems worldwide. The benefits of fire include stimulating plant growth and maintaining ecological balance. Its harms include hazards to life and property, atmospheric pollution, and water contamination. When fire removes protective vegetation, heavy rainfall can cause soil erosion. The burning of vegetation releases nitrogen into the atmosphere, unlike other plant nutrients such as potassium and phosphorus, which remain in the ash and are quickly recycled into the soil. This loss of nitrogen produces a long-term reduction in the fertility of the soil. However, it can be recovered by nitrogen-fixing plants—some of them of agricultural value, such as clover, peas, and beans, by decomposition of animal waste and corpses, and by natural phenomena such as lightning. Fire is one of the four classical elements and has been used throughout human history for purposes that now include cooking, generating heat and light, clearing land for agriculture, signaling, propulsion, smelting, forging, incineration of waste, cremation, rituals, weapons, and destruction, including in warfare. Various technologies and strategies have been devised to prevent, manage, mitigate, and extinguish fires, with professional firefighters playing a leading role. For example, most home fires start from unattended cooking, although cigarettes are another major cause. Smoke detectors and sprinkler systems greatly reduce harm from home fires.