A 450-Million-Year History of Fire

Claire M. Belcher; Margaret Collinson; Andrew C. Scott

doi:doi: 10.1002/9781118529539.ch12

A 450-Million-Year History of Fire

Claire M. Belcher, Margaret Collinson, Andrew C. Scott

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed)

Abstract

This chapter reviews the 450-mllion-year history of fire, and shows how it links to the environmental and evolutionary innovations that have led to the diversity of life on our modern planet. In order for a fire to exist it requires three key elements, illustrated by the fire triangle. The fire triangle shows that fire requires an ignition source, a supply of oxygen and fuel in order that it can burn. The chapter shows how interplay between fuel and past atmospheric composition has potentially influenced broad trends in fire activity. It also shows the significance of changes in atmospheric oxygen concentrations to altering fire activity.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Fire Phenomena and the Earth System: An Interdisciplinary Guide to Fire Science
Editors	C.M. Belcher
Place of Publication	Oxford
Publisher	John Wiley & Sons
Pages	229-249
Number of pages	21
Edition	1st
ISBN (Electronic)	9781118529539
ISBN (Print)	9780470657485
DOIs	https://doi.org/doi: 10.1002/9781118529539.ch12
Publication status	Published - 9 Apr 2013

Keywords

Fire

Access to Document

doi: 10.1002/9781118529539.ch12

Cite this

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title = "A 450-Million-Year History of Fire",

abstract = "This chapter reviews the 450-mllion-year history of fire, and shows how it links to the environmental and evolutionary innovations that have led to the diversity of life on our modern planet. In order for a fire to exist it requires three key elements, illustrated by the fire triangle. The fire triangle shows that fire requires an ignition source, a supply of oxygen and fuel in order that it can burn. The chapter shows how interplay between fuel and past atmospheric composition has potentially influenced broad trends in fire activity. It also shows the significance of changes in atmospheric oxygen concentrations to altering fire activity.",

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AU - Collinson, Margaret

AU - Scott, Andrew C.

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N2 - This chapter reviews the 450-mllion-year history of fire, and shows how it links to the environmental and evolutionary innovations that have led to the diversity of life on our modern planet. In order for a fire to exist it requires three key elements, illustrated by the fire triangle. The fire triangle shows that fire requires an ignition source, a supply of oxygen and fuel in order that it can burn. The chapter shows how interplay between fuel and past atmospheric composition has potentially influenced broad trends in fire activity. It also shows the significance of changes in atmospheric oxygen concentrations to altering fire activity.

AB - This chapter reviews the 450-mllion-year history of fire, and shows how it links to the environmental and evolutionary innovations that have led to the diversity of life on our modern planet. In order for a fire to exist it requires three key elements, illustrated by the fire triangle. The fire triangle shows that fire requires an ignition source, a supply of oxygen and fuel in order that it can burn. The chapter shows how interplay between fuel and past atmospheric composition has potentially influenced broad trends in fire activity. It also shows the significance of changes in atmospheric oxygen concentrations to altering fire activity.

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U2 - doi: 10.1002/9781118529539.ch12

DO - doi: 10.1002/9781118529539.ch12

M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)

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EP - 249

BT - Fire Phenomena and the Earth System: An Interdisciplinary Guide to Fire Science

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PB - John Wiley & Sons

CY - Oxford

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