Abstract: A method and apparatus for hydrocarbon flame ignition and detection is disclosed utilizing a pair of flame-detecting electrodes positioned at the flame site in contact with the flame and in a spaced-apart relationship to accommodate, in the gap therebetween, essentially the flame's reaction zone. At least one of the electrodes may additionally serve as the ignition element and is, accordingly, sufficiently electrically resistive so as to undergo self-heating in response to current flow therethrough.A second aspect of the invention relates to the direct application of AC line voltage across the resistive electrode during the ignition phase and across the electrode gap during the detection phase.A third aspect of the invention concerns the thermal-heating of both electrodes by the flame to reduce both the ignition time and the "wall quenching" effect of the otherwise cool electrode surface on the high-conductivity plasma in the reaction zone.