What does a fire need to sustain itself?

What does a fire need to sustain itself?

The triangle illustrates the three elements a fire needs to ignite: heat, fuel, and an oxidizing agent (usually oxygen). A fire can be prevented or extinguished by removing any one of the elements in the fire triangle.

Can fires start spontaneously?

Spontaneous combustion or spontaneous ignition, as it is often called, is the occurrence of fire without the application of an external heat source. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an estimated 14,070 fires occur annually from spontaneous combustion.

Why do fire becomes uncontrollable?

Uncontrolled fire Structure fires can be started by cooking accidents, electrical faults, fuel leaks, the misuse of lighters and/or matches, and accidents involving candles and cigarettes. Fire can propagate rapidly to other structures, especially where proper building standards are not met.

What is the chemistry behind fire?

Flames consist primarily of carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen and nitrogen. If hot enough, the gases may become ionized to produce plasma.

How can we sustain fire?

To Keep your fire burning longer, frequently add more kindling and tinder before adding logs to create more flames and heat, helping your logs burn. If you have an elevated grate in your fireplace, place your kindling and tinder under the grate so that the flames can raise up beneath the logs.

How do spontaneous fires start?

Cause and ignition Spontaneous combustion can occur when a substance with a relatively low ignition temperature (hay, straw, peat, etc.) begins to release heat. This may occur in several ways, either by oxidation in the presence of moisture and air, or bacterial fermentation, which generates heat.

Can heat alone cause fire?

Heat. A heat source is responsible for the initial ignition of fire, and is also needed to maintain the fire and enable it to spread. Heat allows fire to spread by drying out and preheating nearby fuel and warming surrounding air.

How can fire be controlled?

The most common method to control a Class-A fire is to remove heat by spraying the burning solid fuels with water. Another control method would be to reduce the oxygen content in the immediate vicinity of the fire (i.e., “smother” the fire), such as by the introduction of an inert gas such as carbon dioxide.

What is uncontrolled fire?

Uncontrolled Fire: Any fire which threatens to destroy life, property, or natural resources, and. Underburn: A fire that consumes surface fuels but not trees or shrubs. (See Surface Fuels.)

How do firefighters use chemistry?

Firefighters also use chemistry when protecting the public from the potentially hazardous substances produced in fires and released in chemical spills. Firefighters need to understand how to mitigate the risks to themselves and the public while also knowing how to treat those exposed or injured.