A flamethrower is a weapon that shoots a stream of burning fuel, creating a jet of fire that can reach 60 feet or more. Soldiers squeeze a trigger, and pressurized fuel sprays out through a nozzle while being ignited, turning into a directed stream of flames.

Flamethrowers were invented in the early 1900s and saw heavy use in both World Wars, particularly for attacking fortified positions like concrete bunkers where enemies were hiding. The weapon could reach into places that bullets and explosives couldn't. While devastating in combat, flamethrowers were also extremely dangerous to the soldiers carrying them, since they wore tanks of flammable fuel on their backs.

Today, militaries rarely use flamethrowers, having replaced them with more precise weapons. However, farmers and foresters sometimes use smaller versions for controlled burns, clearing brush and dead vegetation to prevent wildfires. Some people have even adapted the basic technology to create handheld devices for melting ice or controlling weeds.