Campfires are the highlight of every summer camp experience, and the glow of a warm fire provides the perfect opportunity for kids to enjoy time-honored traditions like roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories. Along with traditional campfire stories, you can learn lessons about science and history that take on new meaning when taught outdoors. This season, provide your little camper with some exciting campfire facts that they can share with their fellow campers.

1. Campfires reach extreme temperatures

While everyone knows that a fire is hot, campers are often surprised at the extreme temperatures a campfire can reach. It only takes a few hours for a campfire to reach 900 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to melt lead.

2. Coals continue to burn underground

Many people bury their fire when it is done in the belief that it will put out the flames. However, the embers that remain below the ground can continue to burn. If they are near tree roots or other flammable materials, they can ignite again and start a wildfire. Coals can burn underground for a long time. In Australia, Burning Mountain contains underground coal that has been burning for over 6,000 years.

3. Campfires have a long history.

Evidence of what is believed to be the first known fire has been discovered in Swartkrans, South Africa. There, charred antelope bones suggest that humans cooked their meat on fire as early as 1.9 million years ago. Interestingly, it seems that the dried grass and leaves were used as firewood instead of wood.

4. A campfire has many purposes.

Although campfires tend to be seen as a gathering place for socializing, they serve multiple purposes. For example, a fire can be lit to ask for help when a person gets lost in the woods. It can also be used to dry clothes, deter wildlife, and burn trash when a trash receptacle is not available.

5. The Netherlands holds the record for the largest bonfire in the world

There are many different ways to build a campfire, and some people pride themselves on building the best. The largest fire in the world had a total volume of 151,288 ft³. It was lit on New Year’s Eve 2014 and burned for a total of five days.

6. Campfires are color coded

Those colorful, dancing flames are beyond fun to watch, as the colors can tell you a lot about the temperature of the fire. The emitted red light comes from the coldest parts of the fire, and the bluish-white flames indicate where the highest heat exists.

7. Most forest fires are due to human error

Humans start about nine out of ten wildfires, and campfires are the main culprits. For this reason, it is best to use existing fire rings when available and always ensure that the fire is completely extinguished before leaving the site.

Using a campfire for warmth, food, and survival is a tradition that dates back to early humans. Today, children at summer camp can also gather around the campfire for a sense of camaraderie while singing songs and telling stories. With these bits of trivia in your pocket, your child will be the star of the next campfire party.