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Fantastic Fun Fact: How to Turn Fire Different Colors

Madison Company lives and breathes sensors, so of course, we get a kick out of fun facts about sensor applications as well. See if you can guess where a sensor is used after you read this Fantastic Fun Fact (pssst…. you’ll find the answer in parentheses below).


Summertime is perfect for camping and bonfires. Have you ever wondered how to turn those leaping flames into different colors?


IMPORTANT NOTE: Do this only after all cooking has been done on the fire and when there is little wind so that the smoke can rise up rather than blow into campers’ faces.

Madison Logo with fire in background
  • (1) Melt old candle wax in a double boiler.
  • (2) Get a bunch of small paper Dixie cups.
  • (3) Pour about 1/4 inch of chemical into each cup (see below for some common color options).
  • (4) Pour just enough melted wax into the cup to cover the chemical, and quickly stir it with an unfolded paperclip or another small stir rod. This is to thoroughly coat all of the chemical.
  • (5) Allow the mixture to thoroughly cool and then peel or cut off the sides of the paper cup. We leave the paper bottom on.
  • (6) Toss one of these patties into the hottest part of the fire. It will melt, and the show begins!


Mixing different chemicals will not make a new color. Just add one single type at a time, or place different kinds in different places within the fire.

Chemical Flame Change
Copper Chloride PURPLE flame
Borax (laundry) LIGHT GREEN flame
Copper Sulfate (plumbers tree root killer) Green flame
Alumunum GREEN flame
Strontium Chloride RED Flame
Lithium Chloride RED Flame
Calcium Chloride ORANGE Flame
Sodium Chloride (table salt) YELLOW Flame
Chemical Flame Change
Magnesium Sulfate (epsom salts) WHITE flame
Sugar Sprinkle into fire for tiny sparks
Powdered Coffee Creamer Throw a handful into the flames above the fire for small sparkly flashes
Flour Toss a small amount into the flames to make a flash flame
Iron Filings Toss a small bit into the flames to make gold sparks
Powdered Aluminum Toss a small bit into the flames to make silver sparks
Magnesium Shavings Toss a small bit into the flames to make very bright silver sparks

(So, where is the sensor? Ok, so the chemicals are solids. But if you are camping in a trailer or self-contained vehicle, liquid level sensors are used in those RVs – especially in the holding tanks!)


*Thanks to WikiHow and The Campfire Dude for this enlightening info.

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