THE BEST Fire

A fire basket (aka “brazier”) is exactly what it sounds like – a metal basket that holds a bunch of flaming logs. Blacksmith Torbjörn Åhman walks us through the process of creating one of these, which involves cutting, stamping, bending, forging, and welding multiple matching pieces of metal. Also, hot riveting never gets old.

Take your grilling to a new level with this high-power propane torch. It cranks out up to 400,000+ BTU of heat, which can quickly start a charcoal grill, sear meat, or light a campfire in seconds. It’s also great for rapidly cleaning grime off of your grill. There’s also a shorter version for more precise culinary work, the SU-VGun.

Thanks to The Mandalorian, Boba Fett is back in our lives once more. And thanks to Burned by Design, the badass bounty hunter can be a permanent fixture in your backyard. This handmade wood burning fire pit will help keep you as toasty as a Tatooine afternoon and is perfect for roasting marshmallows.

As 2020 draws to a close, let’s say good riddance to one of the worst years on record with a ceremonial holiday fire. But instead of lighting bonfires to guide Santa’s way, the folks at AM/FM hooked us up with a solid hour of stuff being burned in a dumpster, the honorary mascot of 2020.

Builder Laura Kampf designed and created this dangerous but awesome looking machine which generates a huge stream of sparks for creating epic long-exposure photos. When she got stumped about the ignition system, she turned to her pal Adam Savage to help come up with a creative solution.

The Q shows off a goopy compound they made from wood glue, nail varnish, and match sulfur that lets homemade matches burn even when fully submerged in water. This is definitely one you shouldn’t try at home, given the risks of both fire and the unknown consequences of breathing the vapors the chemicals produce.

Coolest Thing introduces us to self-proclaimed mad scientist Lance Greathouse. Among his many builds is a motorized wheelchair that packs a flamethrower on its front end. But he doesn’t just build silly stuff, Lance and the folks from the Wheelchair Labs helps refurbish wheelchairs for people in need.

Radiate is a campfire in a tin. It’s fuel source is recycled paper briquettes coated in recycled soy wax. It lights up easily and can be snuffed out just by placing the lid over it. You can even light it up again if it’s not all used up. Each tin lasts 3 to 5 hours.

You would think lighting anything around your on fire would be a bad idea, but that didn’t stop The Hacksmith from doing just that. In this insanely cool build, they created a version of Ghost Rider’s fiery helmet that burns propane fuel. As a bonus, they threw in a flaming chain.

You wouldn’t think that something as innocuous as corn starch could cause a massive fireball, but you’d be wrong. The Beyond the Press channel conducted a series of experiments to show just how flammable various kinds of dust and powder can be when exposed to a flame. They didn’t try non-dairy creamer though.

Designed to combat blazes while keeping humans at a safe distance, Textron Systems and Howe & Howe’s remote-operated robots can blast 1,250-2,500 gallons of water per minute. The robots can climb stairs, shove and winch vehicles, and endure extreme heat. Would also be fun as a response to Elon Musk’s flamethrowers.

We always thought that Ghost Rider preferred motorcycles, but apparently, he also can operate a Zamboni. Watch in amazement as this driver calmly drives his ice smoothing machine across the ice and out of the rink after it somehow caught on fire at Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex.

Combining a handmade wood board with a miniature concrete fire pit, Swoon Living’s tabletop setup lets you make delicious S’mores whenever you feel like it. The board has cutouts to hold skewers, marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers (not included). The fire burns isopropyl alcohol or high-proof vodka.

The Backyard Scientist has a penchant for dangerous, yet impressive experiments. In this clip, he takes to his swimming pool with a contraption that’s designed to blow perfect bubble rings, but instead of just filling them with oxygen, he introduces some propane, so when hit with an electric charge, they explode.

Since 1924, a blazing effigy culminates Zozobra, Santa Fe’s annual festival. The 50’ tall, villainous puppet is stuffed with 1,000s of “glooms” as kindling to burn away fears, failings, and flaws – from past-due bills to divorce papers. This year everyone will virtually torch glooms and watch the bonfire live 9.4.20, 8pm MDT on KOAT.

Back in the 1980s, hairdresser and inventor Maurice Ward came up with a substance that was apparently incredibly resistant to heat and fire. NightHawkinLight explores the history of the material known as Starlite, what happened to it, and then makes his own version of the compound.

Back in 2018, director Ryan Gibb and MTB rider Nico Vink traveled to New Mexico’s Philmont Scout Ranch, where they captured this amazingly fiery footage. The film was created entirely in a controlled setting on private property on an already burnt piece of land. Learn more about the project from Teton Gravity Research.

Due to the global pandemic, The Slow Mo Guys are still stuck an ocean apart, so today’s clip features a solo experiment conducted by Gav, who has the duo’s high-speed cameras in his possession. Sit back and enjoy some slow-motion footage of molten thermite being poured into an aquarium filled with water.

There’s a classic physics experiment that shows how filling a balloon with water protects it from a lit match. Expanding on this idea, Beyond Slow Motion’s Darren Dyk wanted to see if the same would hold true if he held a ball of fire in his hand using butane and soap bubbles. Needless to say, don’t try this at home.

CRKT’s convenient lanyard tool makes quick work of starting campfires, with its magnesium spark rod and striking surface. It also doubles as an in-the-field knife sharpener, perfect for putting a new edge on your pocket knife in a pinch.

The S loves to build all kinds of things out of matchsticks, then light them on fire. In this clip, he built a cardboard model of a disc-shaped UFO, filled it up with 25,000 of the incendiary devices, then set them ablaze with awesome results. The spinning part of the lift-off was a nice touch.

Donn DIY and his family used to cut, split, and stack all of their firewood by hand. As necessity is the mother of invention, he built a series of rigs which help automate much of the process, making it faster and more efficient, with much less back-breaking work. You check out all of the detailed build videos here.

Director Ron Howard and producing partner Brian Grazer visit Paradise, California, which was ravaged by a horrifying firestorm in 2018, resulting in unfathomable damage, and at least 86 fatalities. Despite the enormous tragedy, members of the community are resolved to rebuilding their lives there.

This updated version of FLÎKR’s tabletop fireplace offers an even sleeker design, with a quartz-like base. It burns smokeless isopropyl rubbing alcohol, providing a warm glow, and a little heat wherever you place it. You can even cook S’mores over its food-safe fire. (Must be 18+ to purchase)

Do you have heaps of brush or other debris you need to burn? Skip the burn barrels and uncontained piles. Made from thick 14 gauge steel, Pyro Cages keep fires controlled, and help feed them with airflow thanks to their perforated sides. They come in a variety of sizes, along with optional lids and risers available.

Woodburning isn’t a unique craft, but artist Hye Sea of Magnify the Sun executes it differently than others. Rather than electric tools, she uses a variety of magnifying lenses to focus bright sunlight onto a plywood canvas. If you’re interested in having a portrait commissioned, you can make an inquiry here.