Fire Eating and Fire Breathing FAQ

Comments and suggestions to Peter Bendall, Peter@EMBL-Hamburg.de

This information may not be reproduced without the following warning:

Warning:

Fire Eating and particularly Fire-Breathing is possibly the most dangerous and potentially injurious art to be found in circus, theatre and street performing. Experimenting without knowledge may be fatal and the first steps should be taken ONLY in the presence of an experienced person who fully understands the dangers.

1. What are the dangers of fire eating / fire breathing?
   • Burning:

     Fire burns! Burns performers AND onlookers.

     NEVER breathe in with a fire torch in your mouth, with fuel in your mouth, or when you are blowing fire!

     If out of doors - NEVER blow fire if the wind is too strong and never blow to windward at any time.

     You are dealing with FIRE and there is a risk of igniting yourself or the place where you are performing.

     The classical "blow back" where the flames blow or burn back may burn your mouth and may even collapse a lung. Other damage may be caused to your eyes and the resultant shock may even cause heart attack.

   • Damage to bystanders

     Watch out for people being close to your torches. Hair or clothing may ignite especially in warm dry locations. Watch out for where you spit or blow fuel or flame.

   • Some fuels may be cancer causing agents
     most petroleum distillates are CARCINOGENIC.

   • Some fuels may cause other damage.
     Paraffin (Kerosene) is not toxic and is used medicinally. However if droplets are inhaled, taken into the lungs, they may result in increased liability to Pleurisy or Pneumonia

   • "asbestos wicks may cause lung damage". The use of asbestos is forbidden for industrial or domestic use in many countries. Although Asbestos string, secured with automotive silencer/ muffler cement is still in use, it is DEADLY.

2. What is the safest fuel to use?

   A cross reference list for common fuels may be found in the Fuel FAQ of the rec.backcountry newsgroup. Related information can also be found in the JIS torches pages.

   • FS-liquid from stage/film suppliers. (Germany)
     "Safex pyrofluid FS"
   • paraffin (lamp) oil (kerosene?)as used with traditional oil lamps
   Some lamp oils may contain unknown colourings or additives. One product sold for fire eating was removed from the market because the chemicals which were used to make it colourless and odourless were extremely dangerous.

3. What is the safest form of fire "torch"?
   • metal (i.e non burning) rod, bound with non-asbestos string such as that available from Dubé in USA as
     Item # 0285 Fire Eating Cord (Wicking cord)

     Further info on making fire torches

     Do NOT use wadding/cotton/old-rag to bind torches as these will catch fire!

     Make sure that the torches are bound so that no burning parts or fuel will fall off.

     NEVER use ordinary rope to bind a torch. It will burn through and untie in your mouth.

4. How do I travel fuel, set it out in street/stage performance?
   • Travel fuel in a proper "approved" fuel can, as recommended for the reserve fuel container for a car, Indelibly Marked FIRE-EATING FUEL so that nobody fills it with Motor fuel by accident.

   • Use in a wide based "bowl" which is big enough not to tip when a number of torches are all leaning over to one side.
     Examples:

     - A witches cauldron. (a round cooking pot with legs)

     - A large (7pound?) fruit can!

     - A metal vase with a broad base and narrow top.

5. How do I begin?
   • With a companion, or teacher, NEVER alone. An experienced companion is best. A person who is only there to watch or is not interested is the same as no person at all. That person should know how to summon help and have some idea of first aid.

   • In a properly set up practice area.
     • with a floor that will neither burn or absorb spilled fuel.
       Do not cover a floor with a plastic cover as this may melt or burn if a torch is dropped on it and cause even more damage.
     • with nothing in reach that can burn
     • with no draughts/wind
     • with a blanket or large towel to wrap burning persons
     • with a fire extinguisher suitable for fighting fuel fires

   • Start with unlit torches, practicing the manipulation so as to be able to handle them positively.

   • Work with a single lit torch to get used to the idea of flame in near proximity.
   • A simple exercise is to make the inside of the mouth very damp with "spittle". It should be possible to hold a bubble across the partly opened lips. This practices breath control as well.
   • Now practise placing the torch into the mouth and removing it.
     Head well back, mouth wide open.
   • Try simple "extinguishing" by effectively blowing the flame away. (later you may "quench" a weak flame by closing the mouth on it - like "snuffing" a candle.
   • Move on to holding the burning vapours in the mouth after the torch is removed. A few seconds are the maximum possible.

6. How do I build up a fire routine?

   The three basic "skills" in a fire eating presentation are:

   • Tasting - put the burning torch into the mouth and remove it again
     • put your tongue out and wipe the surface with the "flames"
     • hold the stick upright between the teeth, flames run up the handle so think about it when you grab it again
   • Killing - extinguishing the flame, either by suffocating it or by actually blowing it out (!)
   • Holding - With a newly dunked stick (ok, one that has just been dipped in fuel...) the flame is left burning in the open mouth
     Flames can also be left on the fingertips (pinch out burning fuel between the thumb and finger) or as a pool of fire in the open palm by tapping the torch on the outstretched hand.
     • Just previously Kill another stick, and then swing it in to relight it from the flame you are holding in your mouth.
     • Have a partner light a cigarette from the held flame

   You just need plenty of practice at these before you can elaborate.
   For example, use double ended, longer, sticks, or use a wheel with four or six sticks fired into a hub so that you can spin the burning wheel.

   [PB]One of my former pupils uses a five stick wheel, all lit, and:

   • Kills alternate sticks 1, 3, 5, 2
   • Holds the flame from 4,
   • relights 1 from it (50% he relights 3 as well)
   • Holds flame from 4 again (3 if it's lit) to relight 5
   • (if he missed 3 last time, he tries to turn back and relight 3 from this flame)
   • etc
   [PB] I always suggest the "fire torture" to begin an act. Here the burning torches are seemingly touched to various parts of the body. [just skimming over the skin] Hands, feet, arms, stomach, [later tongue].
   • Lamp Oil burns upwards and the base of the torch, especially when moved, is rarely hot enough to burn.

   • Then the simple extinguishing of "torches" in the mouth can be followed by leaving a flame long enough to relight one that is extinguished or long enough for a partner to light a cigarette.

7. What about "Blow Outs" = Fire Breathing?
   [PB: I have never done a "blow out", and in most small circuses and theatres where I worked the tent or stage were rather too small for safety. OF COURSE, I have seen it done many times and to many people it is the only form of fire act they have seen.
   The two shows that I visit regularly do them as the final step in their fire routines.

   I have, however, been present and helped at workshops where the technique was shown. ]

   Blow outs are the most dangerous item in a fire act! There is a very real danger of a blow-back, where the flame simply runs back along the stream of vapour, burns the performer or sets fire to their clothing or hair.

   It is usual to unclothe the upper body when doing blow-outs because a shirt that is soaked in fuel burns very well.

   It may be useful to have a large towel or small blanket within reach so that a fire may be smothered or wrapped in it.

   • Start by practicing with water. Hold a hand about eighteen inches in front of your face and be sure that you can blow a strong spray [not a jet] past your hand.
   • Have a wad of cloth in your other hand and practice protecting your mouth at the moment you stop blowing.
   • Be sure how little water you need to use to produce a time of spray that is well within your strength.
   • When you feel competent, taste the fuel like a wine taster does. It will taste horrible so spit it out.

   • Only if you are still sure (!) Take a burning torch and a small amount of fuel and be sure you have full lungs.
   • looking up at about 45 degrees, blow the fuel through the flame on the torch. Stop blowing and protect your mouth with the cloth.

     You will have been amazed by how loud and how hot the flame was.

   • Go away and think about it!