Fuel is one of the most important things to get right in fire manipulation, and most of the attention goes to which fuel to use. But how you store it, transport it, and handle it during a session matters just as much. Poor fuel handling is one of the most common sources of preventable accidents in fire performance, and most of it comes down to habits that are easy to build once you know what they are.
This guide covers everything you need to know about keeping fuel safe before, during, and after a fire manipulation session.
Understanding What Youโre Working With
The fuels used in fire manipulation are hydrocarbons, but they fall into two distinct categories with different properties and different handling considerations.
Low flashpoint fuels like Coleman fuel have a flashpoint below 0ยฐC, which means they are classified as flammable liquids and produce ignitable vapour at room temperature and below. This is what makes them effective for techniques like vapour manipulation and body trails, and itโs also what makes careless handling genuinely dangerous.
High flashpoint fuels like lamp oils and Isopars are technically combustible liquids rather than flammable liquids. The distinction matters: combustible liquids require heat before they will produce enough vapour to ignite, whereas flammable liquids will do so at normal working temperatures. This makes high flashpoint fuels less volatile to handle and store, but they still require care and respect. The lower volatility doesnโt mean lower risk in every context. It means different risk.
Understanding the flashpoint of your fuel is the starting point for understanding how to handle it safely. If you havenโt yet covered fuel types and flashpoints, the free safety course at the Fire In Your Face Academy covers this in detail as part of the video content.
Storage: The Non-Negotiables
Use Appropriate Containers
Fuel should be stored in its original container wherever possible. Manufacturers design their containers for the specific properties of the fuel inside: the materials, the seal, the pressure tolerance. Coleman fuel comes in plastic bottles in the UK and Europe, and metal cans in the US. Decanting into a repurposed container not designed for the fuel type is a risk that serves no purpose.
If you need a separate working container for your dipping station, a clean, dry paint tin works well for this purpose. It wonโt have a vapour seal like a specialist flammable storage container, but as a working vessel used close at hand during a session rather than for long-term storage, itโs a practical and widely used option. Never use a food container, a drinks bottle, or anything that could be mistaken for something it isnโt. For a full guide to dipping station setups, see the dedicated dipping station article.
Keep Fuel Away from Heat Sources
Low flashpoint fuels produce ignitable vapour at room temperature. In a warm environment, or near any heat source, that vapour production increases. Store fuel in a cool, dry location away from radiators, direct sunlight, ovens, and any open flame. A garage, shed, or cool cupboard is suitable. A shelf near a boiler is not.
Keep Containers Sealed
Fuel evaporates. An unsealed container not only loses fuel over time, it fills the surrounding air with flammable vapour. Always reseal containers immediately after use. This applies during a session as well: open the container, dip the torch, seal the container. Your dipping station should always be positioned away from where youโre lighting and performing, so that the fuel is already at a safe distance before any torch is lit. The habit is: fuel sealed, then move to your lighting area. Not the other way around.
Store Away from Exits
In the event of a fire, you need to be able to get out. Fuel should never be stored near a door or exit route, and it should never be placed near vertical surfaces during a session. If something goes wrong, you want clear space between you and the door, and you donโt want fuel adding to the problem.
Quantity
Store only what you reasonably need. Thereโs no advantage to keeping large quantities of low flashpoint fuel in a domestic setting, and most local fire regulations have limits on how much flammable liquid can be stored in a residential property. Check your local regulations if youโre unsure. For most people training regularly, a litre or two at a time is sufficient.
The Dipping Station: Setting It Up Correctly
The dipping station is where you saturate your torch wicks before lighting, and itโs where most fuel handling happens during a session. Getting it right is one of the most important practical habits in fire manipulation. Dipping station setup is a topic in its own right and is covered in full in the dipping station guide, but the key positioning and sequencing principles are outlined here.
Position
The dipping station should be positioned away from your performance or training area, away from exits, and away from any vertical surfaces. If fuel spills, you donโt want it near anything it could run along or soak into. A flat, non-combustible floor surface underneath the station is ideal.
Seal, Then Perform
The sequence that matters is simple: open the container, dip the torch, seal the container. Your dipping station is already in a safe location away from where youโll be performing. Once your torch is dipped and your container is sealed, you move to your performance area to light and work. You never bring an open fuel container into your performance space.
Spinning Off Excess Fuel
After dipping, roll the torch between your palms to spin off excess fuel before lighting. A torch thatโs dripping with fuel when lit will produce large, uncontrolled flames and increase the amount of fuel your body is exposed to during techniques. A well-prepared torch has saturated wicks with no excess dripping from them.
Spills
Spills happen. Have absorbent material available and clean them up immediately before lighting anything. Low flashpoint fuel on a floor creates a vapour layer that can ignite. Donโt light a torch until any spill is fully cleaned up and the area has had a moment to clear. Dispose of any fuel-soaked absorbent material in accordance with your local regulations for flammable waste. Do not leave fuel-soaked material compressed or in an enclosed space. Spread it out to dry fully in a ventilated area away from ignition sources before disposal, and always follow local guidelines for disposing of flammable waste.
Transporting Fuel
If youโre taking fuel to a workshop, performance, or outdoor training session, the same storage principles apply in transit. Always transport fuel in its original container. Sealed, upright where possible, in a cool part of the vehicle. Not in a hot boot in summer. Not loose in a bag where containers can roll around and open. If youโre taking fuel on public transport, check the regulations for your specific service, as rules on carrying flammable liquids vary.
During a Session: Key Habits
The storage principles matter most between sessions. During a session, the habits that matter most are:
- Dipping station positioned away from the performance area before any session begins
- Fuel container sealed after every dip
- No open flames near the dipping station
- Excess fuel spun off before lighting
- Spills cleaned up immediately before continuing
- Torch fully extinguished before returning to the dipping station
After a Session: Disposal and Cleanup
Fuel left on surfaces or in open containers after a session is an ongoing risk. Reseal all containers. Wipe down any surfaces that have had fuel contact. If youโve used absorbent material for a spill, dispose of it in line with your local regulations for flammable waste. Do not leave fuel-soaked material in an enclosed bin or compressed in a bag. Spread it out to dry in a ventilated area away from any ignition sources before disposal.
Used torches should be stored somewhere ventilated. A fuel-saturated wick in an enclosed space produces vapour that accumulates over time. This is true even of torches that have been burned, as residual fuel remains in the wick after a burn.
The Bottom Line
Fuel handling is one of those areas where good habits become automatic quickly, and where the cost of bad habits can be severe. None of whatโs described here is complicated. Itโs a set of consistent practices that, once built into your routine, happen without thinking.
The full fuel safety content, including flashpoints, fuel toxicity, dipping station setup, and session habits, is covered in the free safety course at the Fire In Your Face Academy. Itโs free because this information should be available to everyone before they light their first torch, not locked behind a paywall. If youโre ready to move beyond safety foundations and into technique, the Academy curriculum takes you through every stage of fire manipulation in a structured sequence.
And when youโre ready for your own equipment, hollow fire eating torches are the right starting point for most people, paired with the correct fuel for where you are in the world. The fuel guide covers which fuel that is.
Tom Makinson is the founder of Fire In Your Face, a fire manipulation training school. He has trained over 1,000 students in person, builds the hollow fire eating torches used by performers worldwide, and runs the Fire In Your Face Academy, home to online courses covering the full spectrum of fire manipulation, from foundational techniques through to advanced vapour manipulation.