At what temperatures do forest fires burn?
An average surface fire on the forest floor might have flames reaching 1 metre in height and can reach temperatures of 800°C (1,472° F) or more. Under extreme conditions a fire can give off 10,000 kilowatts or more per metre of fire front. This would mean flame heights of 50 metres or more and flame temperatures exceeding 1200°C (2,192° F). (Information provided by Natural Resources Canada.) What is a “prescribed fire”? These are sometimes called prescribed burns, or controlled burns, but the term that most land management agencies use is “prescribed fire”. It is the process of treating land by using carefully and skillfully applied fire to burn some of the vegetation. When applied correctly by professionals, it is only done after writing a prescribed fire plan that addresses the specific characteristics of the tract of land being treated. It will include a “prescription” that requires that many different weather, environmental, and vegetation factors be within carefully defined parame
