What the game looks like when you are burning
Burning is common in Brogue, and although it should be treated with caution it must not be feared. Burning deals 1d3 damage each turn -- 1, 2, or 3 hp. You will burn for seven turns after leaving any source of flame -- but standing in open flames or on any flammable terrain will reset the counter to full. Stepping in water, even if there appear to be open flames on the water, will always put you out, but be careful of scalding steam. You cannot put yourself out in water if you are levitating and bogs are not wet enough to extinguish a burning creature or prevent flammable vegetation from igniting. Burning creatures ignite any flammable terrain tile they step onto, and the flames may then spread to adjoining flammable tiles. Monsters will not enter a square with fire unless they are are already burning, in which case they will happily chase you across burning terrain while they burn to death.
Flame turrets, dar battlemages, flamedancers, liches and dragons can all cast bolts of fire, which will set the target on fire.
Will-o-the-wisps and salamanders, although they are everburning enemies, do not light you on fire unless they and you are both standing on flammable terrain. They will set their cell on fire, it will set yours on fire, and yours will set you on fire. The same goes for creatures which have been set temporarily on fire, or for standing next to burning tiles - unless your tile is flammable too, the fire cannot spread to you.
The player can create fire with a Potion of Incineration, a Staff of Firebolt, or with a stack of Incendiary Darts, or by cunningly setting off fire traps (with themselves, with monsters or with thrown items to hold down the trigger). When you wish to get the fire from one place to another a Potion of Creeping Death makes a very effective fuse.
If explosive gas from a bog is set on fire, it will explode. Most clouds of gas created by potions, traps or creatures are also flammable but will not explode (darkness gas and bloodwort spores are non-flammable). Be wary of using a staff of firebolt while standing on flammable terrain as adjacent flammable tiles in the line of fire will ignite and possibly spread to you.
Fire will burn up scrolls lying on the ground. It does not affect other items, nor does it affect your inventory. If you are on fire and step onto a scroll, you will be able to pick it up before it burns, provided that you have inventory space.