The dragon head is made of acrylic, and if exposed to enough heat acrylic will first melt, then burn. To help avoid a meltdown, the dragon breathes fire only intermittently.

A handicraftsman paints a dragon head for dragon boat in Chengguan Township, Shibing County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, May 30, 2021.