Summary: This paper addresses the effect of general Lewis number and heat losses on the calculation of combustion wave speeds using an asymptotic technique based on the ratio of activation energy to heat release being considered large. As heat loss is increased twin flame speeds emerge (as in the classical large activation energy analysis) with an extinction heat loss. Formulae for the non-adiabatic wave speed and extinction heat loss are found which apply over a wider range of activation energies (because of the nature of the asymptotics) and these are explored for moderate and large Lewis number cases – the latter representing the combustion wave progress in a solid. Some of the oscillatory instabilities are investigated numerically for the case of a reactive solid.