Classification of Fire

Why do we need to study the classes of fire?

- To know the classes of material used and to create and a make a wise firefighting decision.

A. BASED ON CAUSE
1. Natural fire
2. Accidental fire
3. Intentional fire
B. BASED ON BURNING FUEL
Classes of fire
1. Class A fire– Materials involving vegetable fiber, wood, paper straw, grain, grass;
combustible materials such as coal and coke. Nearly all thrash fires are considered as Class A
(solid)
2. Class B fire – Materials including petroleum products such as gasoline, fuel, oils etc. (liquid
combustible materials)
3. Class C fire – type of fire includes electrical motors, appliances and apparatus. ACTUALLY,
Class C fires are composed usually of Class A and B materials. NOTE. Using water is highly
prohibited and dangerous
4. Class D fire – These are materials involving combustible metals, alloys or metal compounds
either in solid, semi solid or liquid state. Some of liquid metals are extremely dangerous
Some of the unusual metals are Sodium, Magnesium, Titanium, Sodium potassium and
Uranium. These materials burn at high temperature and will react violently with water, air
and other chemicals.
5. Class K fire – materials involve in kitchen fires. This classification was added to the
NFPA (National Fire Prevention Association) portable extinguishers standard in 1998

Classification of Fire Extinguishers

Why do we need to study the classes of fire extinguisher?

Class A Extinguisher – will put out fires in ordinary combustibles such as woods
Class B Extinguisher – should be used on fire involving flammable liquids
Class C Extinguisher – suitable for electrical fires
Class D Extinguisher – designed to use on flammable metals

Spontaneous heating
- Condition that builds up temperature high enough to cause ignition
- In most materials this process develops slowly and does not reach its ignition point for days or
even a week
- Some of the common materials that may spontaneously heated and ignited are animal oils, coal,
sawdust, hay, gray cotton
Propagation of fire

- Simply the spread of fire

- Transmission of heat

- This condition causes additional vapors to be released thereby spreading the fires

Types of heat transmission

1. Conduction - Transmission of heat through an object/medium or conductor, such as pipe, metal,

wire, or even a wall
2. Radiation - Transmission through the discharge and spread of heat from a hated or burning
source.
- It takes place through the air or through space that cause another flammable object to ignite
3. Convection - Transmission of heat by moving currents of liquid or gas
- When this liquid or gases are heated, they start to move within themselves; and by their free
motion the circulations start
4. Flame contact - Heat may be conducted to one body to another by direct flame contact
- Flame spread along or through burning material by flame contact.
- Direct contact with the flame

Intensity of fire
• Means simply “how hot the fire is burning”
• Some types of fuel naturally burn hotter (more intense) than the others
Example gasoline fire burns hotter than wood fire
• Factors determine the intensity of fire
1. Types of fuel
2. Percentage of fuel present

Explosive limit
• Means the amount (express in percent) of fuel than can be mixed with the air to form an
explosive or flammable mixture.
• If less than this amount is used the mixture will not burn. Called “lean”
• If more than this amount is used the mixture will not burn. Called “rich”
• The minimum (lower) or maximum (upper) limits of the proportion of vapour-to-air in which the
mixture will ignite are known as lower and upper explosive limits

Magnitude of fire
• Means the Size of Fire
• Governed by the surface area of fuel exposed to air
• The magnitude of fire is not always determined by the amount of fuel involved but more often
buy the amount of fuel exposed to the air