Fire has been both a saviour and a destroyer for mankind ever since our early ancestors first created means to make fire. We rely on fire to heat our homes and help us to cook our meals but when out of hand, fire can be deadly and destructive. As we have sought to harness the power of fire, to celebrate this here are some fiery Guinness Book of Record entries:
Longest Burning Fire
The longest burning fire to be discovered so far is in New South Wales, Australia. It is a burning coal seam that sits underneath Mount Wingen. It is thought to have been burning for 5,000 years after a lightning strike hit the coal seam. It is currently burning 30m below the Earth’s surface.
Longest Firefighter Career
Gustave Ebers from the United States served for the Rhinebeck New York Fire Service from 1932 until 1997 as both a volunteer and a treasurer. Now that’s some commitment!
Most Fire-Breathing People
In 2009 in the Netherlands a record was set when 293 members of Maastricht University came together to breathe fire.
First Human Use of Fire
Without knowing for sure, it is estimated that the first use of fire by humans occurred 1.5 million years ago in the Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa. This was established in 2010.
At the Yuma Marine Corps Air Station in 2017, the longest wall of fire recorded happened at the Yuma Air Show. It measured a whopping 16,046 feet across and beat their previous record of 10,000 feet.
Worst Fire Disaster
Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the terrible fire that followed cost the economy the equivalent today of $9.2 billion! To protect your business from fire risks, consider the benefits of hiring a Fire Safety Consultancy Bristol like Keloscape
Most Fire Hoops Spun At Same Time
Casey Martin of the United States beat her own previous world record in September 2019 when she accomplished 5 fire hoops being spun simultaneously.
Most Fire Torches Lit And Blown Out In One Minute
Ashrita Furman of the United States managed to light and extinguish 128 fire torches in March 2016 beating a previously held record by Furman.
Most Balloons Burst With Flame Blowing Fire Breather
You sometimes wonder why these records exist but why not put your fire breathing skills to good use and get in the Guinness Book of World Records? In London in 2017, Colin Chapman managed 131 burst balloons with blown flames.
Fastest Time To Pull A Fire Truck 50 Metres
Brian Coombs of the UK succeeded in pulling a fire engine 50 metres in 1 min 7.56 seconds! The event took place in County Antrim in September 2013.
Most Throws And Catches Of Fire Sword
Tyler Macklin of Portland, USA set a new world record in May 2021 for throwing and catching 60 swords that were on fire in just 30 seconds! Let’s hope he didn’t burn himself with this dangerous stunt.