Quote Originally Posted by ThiagoMartell View Post
Simulationism is not the same as following real world physics. It's having the rules translate what happens in the game consistently.
And 4e can do that if it's something that concerns you. Call a fire a "level 3 medium damage expression" hazard, and have it deal 1d10+3 damage for the entirety of your campaign.

Meanwhile, DMs (like me) who aren't concerned with "damage consistent" fire can have it do whatever-the-situation-calls-for. The rules can support both of us, rather than just one of us (i.e. neither of us has to use a houserule!). I find this much preferable to a system where some hazards get explicit values, and others I'm forced to improvise with no guidelines I can look to.