ABSTRACT
I have argued so far that fire use is best represented as a dimensional construct, i.e. where non-criminalised and criminalised use sit at two ends of the same continuum – the Continuum of Fire Use (CoFU). The CoFU is a broad conceptualisation or way of thinking about fire use. I built on this framework through my doctoral research and presented a preliminary theory – the Continuum of Fire Use Theory (CoFUT). The theory is grounded in the data from interviews with 24 fire users and is described in this chapter. I will outline the three core themes in the CoFUT, which explain the psychology underpinning participants’ relationship with fire. The three themes are as follows: (i) Transitory Emotional State; (ii) Sense of Self, and; (iii) Psychological Wellbeing. A description of each of these themes will include data taken from the interviews with my participants.
