This fire destroyed the world's most complete collection of ancient Greek and Roman writings. C. Modern Uses of Fire Print section Fire continues to be a basic, everyday element of most people's lives. Any home appliance that uses methane, propane, or oil relies on fire to operate. Many people use wood or, sometimes, coal in fireplaces or stoves to supplement the main heating system in their homes. In the countryside, people destroy leaves and brush by burning them.
People also make outdoor fires to cook food in barbecues and over campfires.
Today, many people enjoy sitting around a campfire, keeping warm and telling stories, just as people have for tens of thousands of years. Industries use fire to manufacture products and dispose of waste. Companies use heating and drying appliances similar to, but often much larger than, the ones in homes. Large industrial incinerators destroy garbage, including household, medical, and industrial waste. Fire can render toxic waste harmless when it burns such waste in special incinerators.