What is The First Burn? A candle should burn one hour for every 1" in diameter of the actual candle size. For example, a candle that is 2" across should burn for 2 hours. If a candle is not burned for long enough to allow the wax to liquefy or melt from edge to edge of the container, it will create a "memory ring." Once a candle has a "memory ring," it will continue to tunnel for the life of the candle.