INTRODUCTION

TO FIRE SCIENCES
 Definition of fires
• It's one of our most important tools, and
holds a prominent place in many ancient
philosophies and religions.
• The ancient Greeks believed that fire--along
with earth, water, and air--was one of the
four essential elements that made up the
world.
• We can feel fire, just like you can feel earth,
water and air. We can also see it and smell it,
and we can move it from place to place…
• But fire is really something completely
different. Earth, water and air are all forms
of matter -- they are made up of millions
and millions of atoms collected together
• Fire isn't matter at all. It's a visible, tangible
side effect of matter changing form -- it's
one part of a chemical reaction
 WHAT IS FIRE?
• Fire is the heat and light energy released during a
chemical reaction (in particular, a combustion reaction).
• Fire can be a useful tool, but it can also
be a deadly nightmare.
• As the old proverb states,

“Fire is a good servant

but a bad master”
 Principles of Fire Triangles
• In controlled state, fire is most useful and beneficial to
mankind who virtually depends upon it for survival
• In uncontrolled and wild state, has no mercy and respect
for persons and places
Devastating
effects of
fire…
• For many years, the fire triangle (oxygen, fuel and
heat)was used to teach the components of fire. It is not
technically correct. For combustion to occur, four (4)
components are necessary:
1. Oxygen
2. Fuel
3. Heat
4. Chemical reaction

• These components can be graphically described as the

fire tetrahedron. Each component of the tetrahedron
must be in place for combustion to occur.
 Fire Triangle Fire Tetrahedron
+
Chemical reaction between the
three main components

When a heat source heats the fuel to its ignition

temperature, a combustion reaction is triggered and a
is the result.
 OXYGEN

• The oxygen in the air around us is

considered the primary oxidizing
agent.Normally,air consists of about 21
percent oxygen.
• At room temperature (21⁰c),combustion
is supported at oxygen concentrations as
low as 14 percent.
• When oxygen concentrations exceed 21 per cent, the
atmosphere is said to be oxygen enriched. Under these
conditions, materials exhibit very different burning
characteristics. Materials that burn at normal oxygen
levels burn more rapidly in oxygen-enriched
atmospheres and may ignite much easier than normal.
• Some petroleum-based materials will auto ignite in
oxygen-e
• nriched atmospheres. Many materials that do not burn
at normal oxygen levels burn readily in oxygen-enriched
atmospheres.
 HEAT

• Heat is the energy component of the fire

tetrahedron. When heat comes into contact with
a fuel, the energy supports the combustion
reaction in the following ways:
- Causes of pyrolysis or vaporization of solid
and liquid fuels and the production of ignitable
vapors and or gases.
- Provides the energy necessary for ignition
- Causes the continuous production and
ignition of fuel vapors or gases so that the
combustion reaction can continue.
SOURCES OF TEMPERATURE
A source of temperature is required to produce ignition…

Electric Chemical reaction

Static electric Compressed gas
Nuklear heat
Spark
Lightning
Friction Flame
Mechanical
heat
Cigarettes, lighters & matches
 Fuel

• Fuel is the material or substance being

oxidized or burned in the combustion
process. In scientific terms, the fuel in the
combustion reaction is known as the
reducing agent.
 FUELS
Fuel Example
1 Combustible solids Wood, table, chair, paper, etc.
2 Combustible liquids Petrol, kerosene, diesel, methanol,
ethanol, etc.
3 Combustible gasses Hydrogen, methane, butane, carbon
monoxide, etc.
4 Combustible metals Kalium (Potassium), Natrium
(Sodium), Calcium, Magnesium, etc.
 Three Heat Transfer Methods
Conduction:
Transfer of heat from one molecule to another.

Example: touching your hand to a hot object

Conduction is the only means of transferring heat to the

interior of fuels (wood, litter, duff).

High-density fuels (green wood) vs. low-density fuels (litter, decayed wood)

High density fuels have greater conductivity – more heat

needed to raise temperature of surface layer
 Radiation:

Transmission of heat by electromagnetic waves.

Examples of radiation: Heat from sun, fire place, stove

Contact between radiation source and affected body not necessary

Example: preheating of fuels ahead of fire front

Absorption of radiation by woody fuels

– only by thin layer at surface (rest by conduction)
Convection:

Transfer of heat by
movement of a gas
or liquid (air).

Hot air moves vertically

(exceptions: winds, slopes)

Examples: heating a pot of

water, smoke from a fire.

Important for pre-heating of

shrub layers and crown
canopy
What Factors can
Increase
Heat Transfer?
 Factors that Increase Heat Transfer

Flames are brought

closer to the fuel
due to slope.
The wind pushes the
flames over...

Wind

...bringing the
flames closer
to the fuel.
TYPES OF FIRE SPREAD

• Types of fire spread

– Direct
– Indirect
Direct Fire Spread

• Through walls or openings created in walls

Spread mechanism:
Conduction
Convection
Direct pyrolysis (collapse)
Indirect Fire Spread

Spread route: Radiation/Mass transfer/direct pyrolisis

FIRE BEHAVIOUR IN CONFINED SPACES

• Fire moves upward rapidly by convection and can

spread laterally along ceilings Windows
Ceiling (Thermal (Rate of
insulating properties burning
of ceiling and walls depends on
affect heat build-up supply of air
in room) to fire)

Flames (Visible Plume (Smoke

burning of gases and hot gases
from combustion) expand and
rise upwards
because they
Burning materials (Rate are lighter in
of burning also depends weight than
on kind, quantity, and surround air)
distribution of
combustibles)
 FIRE CLASSIFICATION
• There are 3 classes of common fires and 2 specialty
classes
 Extinguisher Rating
• Numerical rating given to Class A and B
extinguishers which indicate how large a fire
an experienced person can put out with the
extinguisher
• Ratings are based on tests conducted at
Underwriters’ Laboratories, Inc.
– Class A: 1-A, 2-A, . . . 40-A
– Class B: 1-B, 2-B, . . . 640-B
• A 4-A extinguisher, for example, should
extinguish about twice as much fire as a 2-A
extinguisher
Pyrolysis - Decomposition of fuel into flammable
vapour/gas

Flammable
Vapour
Mixture

Oxygen

Fuel
Vapour/
Gas
Wood

Heat Source
GROWTH/FLAMING STAGE OF FIRE
Heat release rate
THANK YOU