Colored fire

Generally, the color of a flame may be red, orange, blue, yellow, or white, and is dominated by blackbody radiation from soot and steam.

When additional chemicals are added to the fuel burning, their atomic emission spectra can affect the frequencies of visible light radiation emitted - in other words, the flame appears in a different color dependent upon the chemical additives.

Specific combinations of fuels and co-solvents are required in order to dissolve the necessary chemicals.

Color enhancers (usually chlorine donors) are frequently added too, the most common of which is polyvinyl chloride.

Scouts [citation needed] and other outdoor enthusiasts have placed sections of copper pipe with holes drilled throughout and stuffed with garden hose onto campfires to create a variety of flame colors.