Scribd
Upload
35 views

Fire Basics Card

The Fire Triangle illustrates the three essential elements for fire: heat, fuel, and oxygen. Understanding fire science vocabulary, such as flash point and point of origin, is crucial for investigating fires, whether accidental or arson. Various burn patterns and evidence can help determine the cause and origin of a fire.

Uploaded by

Tina Swain
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
35 views

Fire Basics Card

The Fire Triangle illustrates the three essential elements for fire: heat, fuel, and oxygen. Understanding fire science vocabulary, such as flash point and point of origin, is crucial for investigating fires, whether accidental or arson. Various burn patterns and evidence can help determine the cause and origin of a fire.

Uploaded by

Tina Swain
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Fire Triangle

The FIRE TRIANGLE represents the three elements needed for


fire to occur: heat, fuel, and oxygen.
Fill in the fire triangle.

Can be any combustible material in any state of matter -


solid, liquid, or gas. Most solids and liquids become a vapor
or gas before they will burn.
Examples: Clothing, furniture, curtains, and flammable liquids

Fire Science Vocabulary


• Fire - Produced when a substance
undergoes rapid oxidation involving heat
and light.
• Fire Triangle – Shows the three elements
needed to produce and sustain a fire.
• Flash Point – The lowest temperature to
which a substance must be heated in order
for the substance to give off vapors which
will burn when exposed to a flame or
ignition source. The energy necessary to The air we breathe is about
• Point of Origin – The location where the 21% oxygen.
oxygen Fire requires
increase the temperature
fire started. of the fuel to a point where an atmosphere with at least
• Burn patterns –Noticeable
Noticeable pattern
patterns sufficient vapors are given 16% oxygen.
created by the fire as it burns. off for ignition to occur.
• Accelerants – Substances, such as Examples: Stoves, heating
gasoline, paint thinner, and alcohol, that appliance, fireplaces, and
accelerate the burning process.
damaged wiring
• Arson – A fire started deliberately

Fire Science Vocabulary


Point of Origin – Burn patterns and other damage can help determine the point of origin, or the location where the fire
started.
Char Patterns – Created by very hot fires that burn very quickly and move fast along its path, so that there can be sharp
lines between what is burnedd and what isn't.
V-Patterns - Fire burns up, in a V-shaped
shaped pattern, so a fire that starts at an outlet against a wall leaves a char pattern that
points to the origin.
Heat Shadows - Occur when heavy furniture shields part of a wall; can help determine the origin point.
Glass - Glass fragments, windows, and light bulbs can provide clues to a fire.
Chimney Effect - Since fire burns upwards, there can be a "chimney effect" where th thee fire ignites at a point, the
superheated gases rise upward and form a fireball, which continues straight up to burn a hole in the ceiling.
Color of smoke – Determine what type material was burning
Color of flames – Indicates at what temperature the ffire was burning.

T. Trimpe 22009 http://sciencespot.net/


Accident or Arson? Accident or Arson?
Accidental Nature 1. Work from the least damaged areas to the most heavily
• Heating System damaged areas.
• Electrical appliances 2. Document with notes, photographs, and videos.
• Lightning 3. Collect evidence (accelerant samples, fire items, and
• Children playing with matches other crime scene evidence.)
• Smoking 4. Interview witnesses
Non-Accident 5. Determine the point of origin.
• Odors – Gas – Kerosene 6. Determine the heat source(s).
• Furnishing – Removal of personal objects and 7. Hypothesize the reasons for the fire.
valuables
• Clothing – Check debris for buttons, zippers, etc
• Locked windows, blocked doors Did you know? Heat is more threatening than flames!
• Two or more points of origin A fire’s heat alone can kill. Room temperatures in a fire can be
patterns (can be a sign that an
• Look for inverted v-patterns 100 degrees at floor level and rise to 600 degrees at eye level.
accelerant was used) Inhaling this supper hot air will scorch your lungs and can melt
• Floors charred –Can
Can indicate use of an accelerant clothes to your skin. In five minutes a room can get so hot that
• Trailers that lead the fire from one place to anothe
another everything in it ignites at once: this is called flashover.

What evidence can you find in each picture that would


provides clues about the fire?

T. Trimpe 22009 http://sciencespot.net/

You might also like