It’s ok, no need to run out the building or panic after seeing the title. I want to talk about fire in magic, because fire is a crucial element (pun intended) to many magicians’ performances. I’ve talked about things like this before, magic is many enhancing simple tricks and illusions to make an audience go ouhhhhh and ahhhhh, and not many things do the trick as much as fire!
First thing I want to mention is flash paper, because in my opinion, it is basically magical technology. I wish I could tell you a little bit more on how it works, but the premise is it’s paper that lights on fire, but leaves no ash behind. My basic understanding is the chemical reaction it undergoes converts all of the solid paper into inert gases like nitrogen and carbon, so no physical residue is left behind. But to an unknowing audience member, it’s really cool! Often flash paper is used in tricks with dollar bills, and if you google flash paper, one of the first things to come up is amazon sales for dollar bill flash paper. For example, if I have you sign a dollar bill, I can make it “disappear” with some slight of hand and replace it with flash paper. Then, you watch in horror as you believe your vending machine money goes up in flames, but the magician magically makes it reappear and you have your dollar bill again!
Beyond just tricks, magic was used a lot in religious ceremonies over the millennium. Think about the stereotype of an old wizard. He has a long white beard and lives in a tower, but he also uses fire in both epic combat and making his phenoix be reborn again. So there is some history to it.
The other fire used in magic is actually nothing more than a dot on your hand. A magician snaps his fingers, and instantly a ball of fire appears, but it goes away as fast as it came. You’ve actually probably seen this trick on “How I Met Your Mother” thanks to the master of illusion Barney Stinson
(Hey, magic gets you girls, and don’t let anyone ever tell you differently).
This trick involves a piece of chemicals formed into a little dot placed on your thumb, then when the friction of snapping your fingers ignites it, fire appears so fast and disperse it’s harmless to the magic. Pretty cool, I know.
But this is just a little bit about some of the tricks that use fire, so thanks for reading!