Fire always carries with it some risk. That’s what makes the act so alluring and exciting! It is up to the fire performer you hire to explain safety standards and setup needs. This article intends to remove any mystery and fully inform the buyer.
When booking a fire perfomer, ask how much experience they have. Is their website and social media regularly updated with quality content? Fire performers should have extensive knowledge about fuel types and have existing safety protocols. Ask if the performer has performer’s insurance, teaches safety workshops, or has any special certificates, membership in associations, or pyro licenses. Also, does the fire performer have costuming that meets fire safety standards?
All safety guidelines for performers and fire departments are regulated by the National Fire Protection Association. This panel reviews all current and evolving perfomance safety standards. The NFPA 160 is the document all criteria are based, and on our part, Fempyre adds to that good bit of experience to curate our shows.
Fire performers require a minimum of 10 feet between the performer and the audience. I say the more space, the better we look. Some larger props or combustion effects require a minimum of 25 feet. The space for the fire performer needs to be free of hazards, so no flammable decorations or anything above their heads, like tree branches or low hanging wires. The performer’s area should be obvious, and the performer may bring some type of boundary, such as stanchions or an LED rope cord, to clearly mark where the audience may safely go.
Fire performers can adjust the amount of fire to the type of show. So if you are dealing with limited space, like low ceilings or a fewer feet between them and the audience, be sure to let them know. Usually this will limit the show to smaller fire and props that are held securely in the hands rather than fast spinning props.
15 feet away from the fire performance area, the setup includes will have a fuel station and fire props. The fuel station will have safety gear, including fire extinguishers, and other methods of extinguishing fire if it catches where it is not intended.
Every fire performance should have an experienced safety person. This person is on standby to monitor for any hazards and react appropriately if anything goes wrong. They may be supportive with crowd control or be on standby with the safety gear just in case. We have rarely neeeded a safety to intervene and never has the need for a safety been severe in our shows. We always have them as a standard however, as every fire performer should.
Also, it is important to consider if the performance indoor or outdoor. Outdoor shows tend to have more space, better ventilation, and few hazards. They may be limited by the weather however. Strong winds can adjust a performance. Indoor shows, while convenient, should only be performed by very experienced performers. Indoor shows are an amazing experience for guests, but to initiate booking a performer, venue permission is needed. We use a special fuel type for indoor shows so that exhaust from the burning is at a comfortable minimum.
In Texas, all public shows need a flame effects permit from the local fire department. Someone insured with a state issued flame effects operator license must be present for the permitted event. Fire department fees for obtaining a permit vary by city. Permits are best obtained a month before the performance date, since the department often schedules a marshal to be a on site during the show. Permits obtained within two weeks of the performance date may have a rush fee added to the permitting fee. Not obtaining a permit can result in fines to the venue and performer.
Private shows on private properties generally do not need permits with an attendance of less than 50 people, but often the venue may request the permit as an added precaution.
To make the act as visually effective as it can be, consider the lighting. “Day fire” is mesmerizing, but a dark environment can really give a fire performance a wow factor. Also decide if the performance will be ambient, as in the performer is adding to the aesthetic of an event by being in the background while guests socialize, or if the performance is a show, as in the guests are focused on the performance. If the show type of performance only uses fire (and no aerials or other theatrics), we recommend a 10-15 minute set for attention spans.
We like to curate our performances to the type of event. For example, a dinner party may enjoy a pretty dancer with fire accents, or a birthday party may enjoy technical abilities such as fire eating. Stadium shows benefit from big fire, and high energy environments enjoy acrobatics. Tell us as much as you can about your event, and we can curate the experience to satisfy expectations and leave your guests in awe!