How hot is the fire used in the cremation process?

A typical mortuary cremation chamber operates at 1,400 to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. The process generally takes between two and three hours, depending on the weight of the body.

The container casket consists of flammable material, generally cardboard or wood. Objects that require removal from the body before cremation include prostheses, silicone implants and pacemakers, because they can explode from the heat. The heat evaporates the moisture from the body and vaporizes the remaining organic material, except for the bones. The bones calcify and become flaky. The remains that the family receives are not ashes, but instead are ground up bone.