During many centuries, the man lit fire with two sticks, until discovering another method that many centuries later, was generalized with the use of the steel. If piece of flint is hit strongly with another of steel, a spark can be obtained; and if it is set near some tinder, some dry chip or some other combustible material, will pick up the spark and it will begin to burn. For that reason, during centuries, the man was habituated to light the fire with flint and tinder, like it is still used to do in some parts of the world. Barely a hundred years ago... well, a little more, the common thing was to find flint and tinder in all the shelves of chimneys where later matches were used. Currently we no longer use them, in most of the modern chimneys the natural gas is used.
 

We sometimes refer to the flint like a primitive system to light fire. But "primitive" is a word that can induce to error. Indeed, it didn't constitute such a primitive invention the fact that the man learned how to light fire instead of to watch over and to conserve the fire that had took place by a natural phenomenon unceasingly. It was a great discovery to produce fire by friction, and the truth is that I think that it is an art to light it in that way, the first system that was used probably, was rubbing two wooden pieces. Other methods are the rope used in the north of Europe and the fire plow in Polinesia. In times of the pharaohes it was used as lighter, kind of a drill that produced fire when rotating quickly on dry wood. Soon the man noticed that, hitting two flints sparks took place, and that the combustible materials picked up them lighting then, fire. Even now this principle is used in the modern lighter, although the inflammable tinder has been substituted by gas.

The method of lighting the fire evolved with the pass of time, but it was until the XIX century that a more comfortable method was gotten. The first capable matches to be used were invented in 1816. They measured about 7 cm. of longitude and it was difficult to light them, they were also very inflammable and, therefore, very dangerous. Soon, the makers perfected the invention, and in 1832 the phosphoric matches were for sale. The problem with the matches in those years was that the basic material of its production was poisonous, and it caused the workers a terrible illness, and sometimes the death, that's why the phosphoric match was prohibited in many countries. In 1851 the amorphous match was discovered, it wasn't practically, toxic; and, later, they improved the way of production. In the ínterin(ver que es esto) the safety matches had been invented, they were inoffensive and safe, and they are those that only light with the scraper of the box. The only one
competition for this type of matches is the one of those that light against any rough surface. Now, all the matches are produced mechanically from the sticks parafinados that sustain the leader until the completed product, and a million and quarter is made per hour.

If the primitive man could have seen somebody light a match, he would have taken it for a supernatural being. Now they are manufactured by millions and everybody can afford them. But... What makes the machine that manufactures all those fires work? A great fire, certainly; because that machine, as almost all, is governed by the same fire. Therefore, fire is made with fire.

Three important considerations and necessary elements exist to produce fire:

1. To produce fire it should be a fuel, that is to say, a substance that burns. One cannot make fire with stones, sand, or iron. Those substances aren´t  combustible. Coal and wood, gasoline and alcohol, hydrogen and acetylene figure among the fuels more commonly used. Of the six mentioned, two are solid, two liquids, and two gassy. Certainly, there are many others of each class.
2. A fuel cannot burn, unless there is air. Through the oven's grill should pass a current of air. A crowded chimney gives a poor fire and even it can turn off. When an ember is vivified, a Flame is caused. All automobile motor has a carburetor that mixes the air with the gasoline. All kitchen of gas has an escape for which one should enter appropriate quantity of air to get a hot Flame. And all human being needs to breathe, for the single reason that is necessary the air so that the foods burn.
3. A fuel should be taken to the point in that it lights so that it burns. By easily to burn that an object is, or for more air than there is present, fire doesn't appear before that point. Previously it is necessary to light it. Even the case of the spontaneous combustion, the petroleum and the cloth don't burn until the gradual accumulation of heat elevates the mass to the point in that it lights. Naturally, the diverse substances light with more or smaller easiness. We have the example of piece of phosphorus, this it is easily lit by the human hand's heat; or a paper piece that requires of the lit match heat; even the iron explodes in a Flame if it is elevated to a sufficiently high temperature in an oxygen atmosphere.

Another method to turn off the fire is based on the second essential requirement to light it, this is the necessity of air or oxygen. In certain opportunity, an enormous well of petroleum caught fire and expelled Flames to hundreds meters high. Finally, the fire was out lowering over the well a great steel vault. When the air of the vault was drained, the fire extinguished. In another occasion, the fire of a well of petroleum was out making explode a load of dynamite near the Flame. The force of the explosion moved away the air, leaving a hole during a brief interval of time. The fire, literally, drowned. In fact, this is, exactly what happens when he/she goes out blowing a candle's Flame.

A very usual method to turn off small fires consists on surrounding the object that burns of a heavy and incombustible gas. The gas separates the air from the object and fire extinguishes. The gas that is often used is the Carbon Dioxide, in general, it is chemically generated turning upside-down a hung extinguisher from the wall. Another gas is more commonly the Tetra chloride of carbon, call PIRENE. The pirene is a liquid that burns producing an incombustible heavy gas very easily. When it is pulverized on an object that is afire, the liquid evaporates, and the resulting gas surrounds the fuel and it evicts the air. Then fire goes out.

Good with all these methods to turn off the fire will think in that have not mentioned water, OK you are in a mistake because that will be my next explanation. First why the water turns off Fire? perhaps this it is a question that have come to yourself along this text... perhaps you may not wondered that, but, in all ways I will explain it, besides this is on the trivia so pay attention: Water is an excellent extinguisher of fire because it eliminates the three essential conditions so that it exists. In the first place, it is incombustible. In second place, it humidifies the fuel, impeding in this way its contact with the air; and, finally it cools the substance that burns. This tents to take the temperature under the combustion point.

Well, with that I conclude this chapter, now to put in practice some methods to light and to turn off the fire I recommend you that you visit the page of experiments whose link is at the bottom menu.