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Breath of fire is bhastrika done rapidly. Some schools do bhastrika less rapidly, but then do not call it breath of fire.

There exists a few exceptions to this but in general, Bhastrika and Kapalabhati are similar, but different.

Bhastrika (bellows breath) is considered a pranayama proper emphasizing conscious and equal inhalation as well as exhalation. It is usually described as forceful regarding the inhalation, however it should never be forced. The least resistance (the more opening) the better. It is definitely heating.

Kapalabhati (skull shining) is a hatha yoga kriya (purification practice). It is suitable for all. It is best mastered before practicing bhastrika. It is similar to bhastrika except that the inhale is totally passive. All the emphasis is on the exhalation, thus allowing the lungs to fill up by itself from the vacuum formed by the total emptying of the lungs on the exhalation.

That's the general idea, but both are best learned from an accomplished teacher as there are of course many subtle details that may be helpful to implement.

JAI MA!

For the records there are variations of bjastrika. SOme are more rapid than others. What is teh same is thatthe in beath and out breath are equal.

The more common version that I have seen and practiced is just like kaplabhati (using the belly the same way as kapalabhati) except that the breath is equal in and out. It is fairly rapid and one can vary it according to one's desire of course).

With that said there is another school of that teaches bhastrika and some other pranayama with the chest/lungs moving only (the belly is held in uddiyana bandha. So as the diaphragm presses down on the inhale instead of the belly pressing out, the chest raises instead.. That variation was done in the video that Karen linked to. Also it was the slow version of bhastrika.

They are all good as long as no tension/stress is created. They will have different effects of course.