Accelerant

An agent, often an ignitable liquid, used to initiate or speed the spread of a fire
Area of Origin
The room or area where a fire began
Arson
The crime of maliciously and intentionally, or recklessly, starting a fire or causing an explosion. Precise legal definitions vary among jurisdictions, wherein it is defined by
statutes and judicial decisions
Ceiling Layer
A bouyant layer of hot gases and smoke produced by fire in a compartment
Combustion Products
Heat, gases, solid particulates, and liquid aerosols produced by burning.
Detection
Sensing the existence of a fire, especially by a detector, from one or more products of the fire, such as smoke, heat, ionized particles, infrared radiation, and the like
Detonation
A reaction in which the velocity of the reaction front through the unreacted fuel medium is equal to or greater than the speed of sound
Explosive
Any chemical compound, mixture, or device the primary purpose of which is to function by explosion
Fire
A rapid oxidation process with the evolution of light and heat in varying intensities
Fire Analysis
The process of determining the origin, cause, development, and responsibility as well as the failure analysis of a fire or explosion
Fire Scene Reconstruction
The process of recreating the physical scene during fire scene analysis through the removal of debris and the replacement of contents or structural elements in their
pre-fire positions
Flammable
Capable of burning with a flame
Flash Fire
A fire that spreads rapidly through a diffuse fuel, such as dust, gas, or vapors of an ignitable liquid, without the production of a damaging pressure
Heat
A form of energy characterized by vibration of molecules and capable of initiating and supporting chemical changes and changes of state
Ignition Energy
The quantity of heat energy that must be absorbed by a substance to ignite and burn
Kilowatt
A measurement of energy release rate
Material First Ignited
The fuel that is first set on fire by the heat of ignition. To be meaningful, both a type of material and a form of material should be identified
Pyrolysis
The transformation of a compound into one or more substances by heat alone. Often preceeds combustion
Radiation
Heat transfer by way of electromagnetic energy
Scientific Method
The systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the
formulation and testing of a hypothesis
Seat of Explosion
A crater-like indentation created at the point of origin of an explosion
Secondary Explosion
Any subsequent explosion resulting from an initial explosion
Self-Ignition
Ignition resulting from self-heating. Synonymous with spontaneous ignition.
Short Circuit
An abnormal connection of low resistance between normal circuit conductors where resistance is normally much greater. This is an overcurrent situation but not an
overload.
Smoke
An airborne particulate product of incomplete combustion suspended in gases, vapors, or solid and liquid aerosols
Smoldering
Combustion without flame, usually with incandesence
Thermoplastic
Plastic materials that soften and melt under exposure to heat and can reach a flowable rate
Vapor
The gas phase of a substance; particularly of those that are normally liquids or solids at ordinary temperatures
Ventilation
Circulation of air in any space by natural wind or convection or by fans blowing air into or exhausting air out of a building
Venting
The escape of smoke and heat through openings in a building
Ampere
The unit of electrical current represented by the symbol "I"
Arc
A high temperature luminous electrical discharge across a gap
Backdraft
An explosion resulting from the sudden introduction of air into a confined space containing superheated products of incomplete combustion
Autoignition
Initiation of combustion by heat without a spark or flame
Clean Burn
A fire pattern on surfaces where soot has been burned away
Conduction
Heat transfer to another body or within a body by direct contact
Extinguish
To cause to cease burning
Entrain
To draw along with or after
Fire Investigation
The process of determining the origin, cause, and development of a fire or explosion
Fire Spead
The movement of fire from one place to another
Flame Front
The leading edge of burning gases of a combustion reaction
Fuel
A material that yields heat through combustion
Gas
The physical state of a substance that has no shape or volume of its own and will expand to take the shape and volume of the container or enclosure that occupies it.
Hazard
An arrangement of materials and heat sources that presents the potential for harm, such as personal injury or ignition of combustibles
Ignition
The process of initiating self-sustained combustion
Isochar
A line on a diagram connecting points of equal char depth
Nonflammable
Not readily capable of burning with a flame
Overcurrent
Any current in the excess of the rated current of equipment of the ampacity of a conductor. It may result from an overload, short circuit or ground fault.
Plume
The column of hot gases, flames and smoke rising above a fire. Also called convection column, thermal updraft, or thermal
Preservation
Application or use of measures to prevent damage, change or alteration, or deterioration
Proximate Cause
The cause that directly produces the effect without the intervention of any other cause
Rekindle
A return of flaming combustion after apparent but incomplete extinguishment
Risk
The degree of peril; the possible harm that might occur
Soot
Black particle of carbon produced in a flame
Spalling
Chipping or pitting of concrete or masonry surfaces
Spark
A small, incandescent particle
Spontaneous Ignition
Initiation of combustion of a material by an internal chemical or biological reaction that has produced sufficient heat to ignite the material
Suppression
The sum of all the work done to extinguish a fire from the time of discovery. Fire extinguishment.
Time Line
Graphical representation of the events in the fire incident displayed in chronological order
Watt
The unit of power, or rate of work. This is equal to one Joule per second, or the rate of work represented by a current of one ampere under the potential of one volt.