Firefighting 101

* Fire is a heat-triggered, continuous reaction between fuel and air.
* The red part of the fire is coolest. Orange is hotter. White is even hotter. Blue is hottest.
* Hot air rises because it is lighter than cold air. Smoke usually accompanies the hot air's upward draft. Firefighting and fire escape in serious situations should be done with the head and body held low as necessary to avoid the hot air and smoke.
* Class A fires burn on ordinary combustibles like paper and cloth.
* Class B fires burn on flammable and combustible liquids like gasoline.
* Class C fires burn on short-circuits and other electronic causes.
* Class D fires burn on metal combustion such as with lit magnesium and titanium.
* Class K fires burn on kitchen oils such as grease and animal fat (much like class B, but the fire burns much hotter).
* ABC fire extinguishers propel dry powder onto the fire, smothering the fuel from the air while absorbing heat.
* Non-conductive dry powder is one of the safest ways to put out a fire. Water in small quantities would simply spread a liquid fire (B and K class), add the risk of electrocution in an electrical fire (C class), and energize a metal-combustion fire (D class).
* Firefighters use water because it is widely available and effective in large volumes. Water has an enormous capacity to absorb heat until becoming steam, which then displaces the air away from the fuel.
* The temperature of a typical lit match is around 800°C (1500°F).
* The temperature of a typical fire is around 1000 to 2000°C (1800 to 3600°F).

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