[LINK] Bush Fire Speeds (was Re: home emergencies)

[Robin Whittle]

ITWPITBB (If the WikiPedia Is To Be Believed) the major oil in
eucalypts is Cineol / Eucalyptol (C10-H18-O):

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucalyptus_oil
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucalyptol

which boils at 176C and a "flash point" (which I don't properly
understand) of 49C:

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_point

The figures for kerosene (for instance C12-H26):

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene

are boiling point 150 to 275C and flash point (from the Flash_point
page) 38 to 72C.

I recall reading that the trees produce this (and I guess other oils)
to repel insect foragers.  The oil seems to be about as flammable as
kerosene, though I guess with somewhat lower heating value due to the
oxygen atom.

 - Robin