Jones counts among his clients the Kern County Fire Department of California. It might seem strange, fighting wildfires with fire, but that's exactly how they do it. Related: Flamethrowers, once used in war, are now sold to civilians
He said it's to burn brush to clear firing ranges and ferret out any 'hot mortars' that might be lying in the grass. military hasn't used them in combat since the Vietnam War.ĭan Jones, owner of GelFire Systems in Oregon, said the Army uses his Terra Torch incendiary device, but not for combat. But they were hazardous for the user as well as a target for enemies. Marines used them to deadly effect against Japanese bunkers in the jungles of the Pacific islands. The weapon also figured prominently in World War II. World War I marked the debut of the modern flamethrower when soldiers used them in trench warfare.