Tuesday

Pyrophobia: Fearsome phobias from A to Z




Maybe most of us have a healthy fear of fire. We know we have to be cautious. When we were children, weren’t we all warned, “If you play with fire, you will get burned”?

Some folks, however, are simply horrified of it.



Pyrophobia is the fear of fire. This goes beyond simply being leery of potential dangers from an out-of-control blaze.

Anyone with pyrophobia may be totally terrified at a spark, a lit match, a flickering candle, a simple campfire, or a glowing barbecue grill. Such an individual might worry about being burned or trapped in a fire. Perhaps this person lost a loved one in a blaze or survived a fire in the past, whether accidental or arson (maybe set by a pyromaniac).

The word “pyrophobia” comes in part from the ancient Greek word “pyr,” which means “fire.” And pyrophobia is a very real fear for plenty of people.


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Graphic adapted from public domain image

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