A fire that doesn't burn?

[STM1993]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7rR2N0Jano&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlMo41vW14A&feature=related

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_fire

They call this kind of fire a "holy fire", and this flame is often used to celebrate some kind of Christian event. My question is, how is it possible that such a fire cannot burn someone?

EDIT:
Please read the other comments/posts below first.

[xurich]

Didn't you read the first sentence in the Wikipedia article? It's a miracle!

Seriously though, the videos are only a few seconds long; I've seen people place their hands, fingers, or what have you in flame for roughly the same duration without any pain or damage. Perhaps it's no more than that.

[bja888]

Their such things as low temperature fires. All fire needs is rapid oxidation, which in turn generates heat. Slow down the rate of oxidation and your get a cooler fire.

Also, the higher up for the bast of the fire, the cooler it is.

[Hair|Trigger]

Care to post a video of someone putting their hands in the holy fire for 3 minutes like the description is boasting?  I doubt it's possible but I'd say you can put your hands in fire for a lot longer than that without damage, maybe a world record for it or something.

[STM1993]

Care to post a video of someone putting their hands in the holy fire for 3 minutes like the description is boasting?

I couldn't find any, but I'm curious about these fires.

Their such things as low temperature fires. All fire needs is rapid oxidation, which in turn generates heat. Slow down the rate of oxidation and your get a cooler fire.

Also, the higher up for the bast of the fire, the cooler it is.

Oh, that explains. Thanks.

[Antipathy]

If it really wouldn't burn, why didn't he stuck his face into it for a minute?

Oh yeah, because it burns.

[VijchtiDoodah]

Their such things as low temperature fires.

Interesting. Are you able to provide an example?

[a-4-year-old]

Their such things as low temperature fires.

Interesting. Are you able to provide an example?

depends on your definition of cold. Alcohol burns relatively cool, a person could easily have a hand or foot over it for a while, but alcohol burns blue, so its not whats shown in the video.

[a fool]

also notice how they keep moving their hands, it's so it doesn't burn their hands as fast.
And in the first video, notice also how he changes hand, because one was getting too hot.

[ds dude]

Cover your hand in hand sanitizer, then light your hand on fire.

[Kazuki]

In response to Ds Dude, and even though it might not have much relevance to the topic, I've heard that if you douse your hand in kerosene and light it on fire, it'll be a while before the fire gets to your skin because kerosene sustains fires, which means it burns slowly.

[Eagles_Arrows]

Reminds me of this

[bja888]

Their such things as low temperature fires.

Interesting. Are you able to provide an example?

Google is not the tool for this job. I don't have access to academic databases though.
Just trust me?

[ds dude]

In response to Ds Dude, and even though it might not have much relevance to the topic, I've heard that if you douse your hand in kerosene and light it on fire, it'll be a while before the fire gets to your skin because kerosene sustains fires, which means it burns slowly.

Exactly Kazuki, but it is relevant, the topic explains it, I presume.

I heard though that Hand Sanitizer works; youtube'd it awhile ago.
Kerosine, like Kazuki mentioned, is liquid formed by hydrocarbons.  This kind of liquid is used in jet fuel. The lower heating value is around 18,500 btu/lb (British Thermal Unit/pound).

So yes, you can have your hand on fire, without having to respond to it as "hot."

[Mangled*]

Wet Hands.

Just like stubbing a cigarette out on your tongue.

Now GTFO seriously.

[chutem]

In response to Ds Dude, and even though it might not have much relevance to the topic, I've heard that if you douse your hand in kerosene and light it on fire, it'll be a while before the fire gets to your skin because kerosene sustains fires, which means it burns slowly.

Exactly Kazuki, but it is relevant, the topic explains it, I presume.

I heard though that Hand Sanitizer works; youtube'd it awhile ago.
Kerosine, like Kazuki mentioned, is liquid formed by hydrocarbons.  This kind of liquid is used in jet fuel. The lower heating value is around 18,500 btu/lb (British Thermal Unit/pound).

So yes, you can have your hand on fire, without having to respond to it as "hot."

Doesn't the kerosene/hand sanitizer trick work because it is the vapour that burns, not the actual liquid? That's why when you have a pool of kerosene only the top burns.

[ds dude]

In response to Ds Dude, and even though it might not have much relevance to the topic, I've heard that if you douse your hand in kerosene and light it on fire, it'll be a while before the fire gets to your skin because kerosene sustains fires, which means it burns slowly.

Exactly Kazuki, but it is relevant, the topic explains it, I presume.

I heard though that Hand Sanitizer works; youtube'd it awhile ago.
Kerosine, like Kazuki mentioned, is liquid formed by hydrocarbons.  This kind of liquid is used in jet fuel. The lower heating value is around 18,500 btu/lb (British Thermal Unit/pound).

So yes, you can have your hand on fire, without having to respond to it as "hot."

Doesn't the kerosene/hand sanitizer trick work because it is the vapour that burns, not the actual liquid? That's why when you have a pool of kerosene only the top burns.

That can be a factor.

[a-4-year-old]

In response to Ds Dude, and even though it might not have much relevance to the topic, I've heard that if you douse your hand in kerosene and light it on fire, it'll be a while before the fire gets to your skin because kerosene sustains fires, which means it burns slowly.

Exactly Kazuki, but it is relevant, the topic explains it, I presume.

I heard though that Hand Sanitizer works; youtube'd it awhile ago.
Kerosine, like Kazuki mentioned, is liquid formed by hydrocarbons.  This kind of liquid is used in jet fuel. The lower heating value is around 18,500 btu/lb (British Thermal Unit/pound).

So yes, you can have your hand on fire, without having to respond to it as "hot."

Doesn't the kerosene/hand sanitizer trick work because it is the vapour that burns, not the actual liquid? That's why when you have a pool of kerosene only the top burns.

you can hold your hand over it as well and it won't hurt too bad.

[VijchtiDoodah]

Their such things as low temperature fires.

Interesting. Are you able to provide an example?

depends on your definition of cold. Alcohol burns relatively cool, a person could easily have a hand or foot over it for a while, but alcohol burns blue, so its not whats shown in the video.

Alcohol does not burn cool, this I know from experience and I almost have the scars to prove it. This is from both ethanol and isopropyl alcohol, both of which are found in hand sanitizer, by the way.

Kerosene also does not burn cool. I have used it to cook food and to fuel my airplane -- if it burned anything other than hot, I wouldn't have been able to do either.

I don't believe fires can be anywhere close to being cold. They are incredibly energetic, self-sustaining, runaway oxidation reactions, there is no way any process putting out that much energy can be anything but hot. Yes, you can run your hand through the flames of certain fires briefly, or even light your hand on fire for a longer period of time, but there is no fire that burns cool enough to keep your skin in the flame for any significant period of time without cooking yourself.

[a-4-year-old]

try whiskey next time vitch.