FIRE TECH AND ARSON

INVESTIGATION

a. Basic Terminologies
FIRE
❖ it is a result of rapid chemical reaction between a fuel, heat and oxygen
❖ The active principle of burning characterized by the heat and light of combustion.
❖ Burning is also called as combustion.
❖ Was discovered during a fight of a hero with a dragon. A stone that the hero used as a weapon
missed the monster and struck. (PERSIAN LITERATURE)
❖ Prometheus was bestowed with godlike powers when he stole the god’s fire to give it to
humanity. (GREEK MYTHOLOGY)
❖ It has played a central role in religion. It has been used as God (Indo-Iranian Agni) and
recognized as a symbol of home and family (hearth fire) in many cultures.
❖ It has been a symbol of purification, immortality and renewal; hence, the lighting of flames of
remembrance and the myths of the Phoenix.
❖ The temple of Vesta (Rome) was an outstanding example of the importance of fire to the
Romans.
❖ Vesta was originally the goddess of fire and her shrine was in every home.

Fire Technology
❖ It refers to the study of the organization and function of fire prevention and suppression
techniques; fire behavior, combustible materials, extinguishing agents, hazardous and toxic material;
fire protection techniques and systems; and fire command and fire management (supervision).

b. Elements of Fire
a. Oxygen
✔ A colorless, odorless gas and one of the compositions of air which approximately measuring
21%.
Composition of Air:
● Oxygen- 21%
● Nitrogen-78%
● Inert gases-1%
b. Heat
✔ A form of energy generated by the transmission of some other form of energy, as in
combustion or burning.
c. Fuel
✔ Any substance which reacts chemically with oxygen and flames.

c. Kinds of Fire
A. Based on Cause:
1. Natural fire- Natural fires are generally started by lightning, with a very small percentage
started by spontaneous combustion of dry fuel such as sawdust and leaves. On the other
hand, human-caused fires can be due to any number of reasons. Some classifications include
smoking, recreation, equipment, and miscellaneous.
2. Accidental fire- Accidental fires are those include both fires that are caused by a negligent
human intervention or by accidental occurrence without the necessary presence of a human
being.
3. Intentional fire- fires are caused by the intentional intervention of a human being. However,
not all deliberate fires are arsons. For example, if one sets fire to backyard debris, it is deliberate
but may not constitute arson. Arson is a legal term that can greatly vary from one country to
another or from one state to another. In many instances, fire investigators will not be able to
determine where and/or why the fire started, and the cause is classified as undetermined.

B. Based on Burning Fuel:

1. CLASS A FIRES
✔ Ordinary fires; type of fire resulting from the burning of wood, paper, textiles,
rubber, and other carbonaceous materials. In short, this is the type of fire caused by
ordinary combustible materials.
2. CLASS B FIRES
✔ Caused by flammable and/ or combustible liquids, such as kerosene, gasoline,
benzene, oil products, alcohol and other hydrocarbon derivations.
3. CLASS C FIRES
✔ Electrical fires; fire that starts in live electrical wires, equipment, motors, electrical
appliances and telephone switchboards.
4. CLASS D FIRES
✔ Fires that result from the combustion of certain metals in finely divided forms. These
combustible metals include potassium, sodium, aluminum and magnesium.
5. CLASS K FIRES
✔ Kitchen fires which involve cooking oils, greases, vegetable oils, and animal fats.

d. Stages of Fire Development

1. INCIPIENT PHASE- initial phase/ stage- a region where preheating and gasification (slow pyrolysis)
are in progress. Gas and sub-micron particles are generated and transported away from the source
by diffusion, air movement, and weak convective movement produced by the buoyancy of the
pyrolysis products.

Characteristics:
a. Normal room temperature
b. The temperature at the base of the fire is 400-800 oF
c. Ceiling temperature is about 2000 oF
d. Pyrolysis Products: mostly water vapors and carbon dioxide; small quantities of carbon
monoxide and sulfides maybe present.
2. FREE BURNING PHASE- a region of rapid reaction that covers the period of initial occurrence of
flame to a fully developed fire. Heat transfer from the fire occurs predominantly from radiation and
convection from the flame
Characteristics:
a. Accelerated pyrolytic processes take place
b. Development of convection current; formation of thermal column as heat rises
c. Temperature
800-1000oF
1200-1600oF
d. Pyrolytic decomposition moves upward on the walls (crawling of the flame) leaving
burnt pattern
e. Occurrence of FLASHOVER.
3. SMOLDERING PHASE- a region of fully developed pyrolysis that begins with ignition and includes the
initial stage of combustion. Invisible aerosol and visible smoke particles are generated and
transported away from the source by moderate convection patterns and background air
movement.
Characteristics:
a. Oxygen content drops to 13% or below causing the flame to vanish and the heat to develop
in layers.
b. products of incomplete combustion increase in volume, particularly carbon monoxide with
an ignition temperature of about 1125 oF
c. Ceiling temperature: 1000-1300oF
d. Heat and pressure in the room builds up.
e. Building/ room contains large quantities of superheated fuel under pressure but little oxygen
f. When sufficient supply of oxygen is introduced, BACKDRAFT occurs.

e. Properties of Fire

A. Physical Properties
1. Specific Gravity
❖ The ratio of the weight of a solid or substance to the weight of an equal volume of water. The
volume of water in the fuel or the volume of dryness of fuel.
2. Vapor Density
❖ The weight of a volume of pure gas compared to the weight of a volume of dry air at the same
temperature and pressure. The relative weight of a gas or vapor compared to air, which has an
arbitrary value of one. If a gas has a vapor density of less than one it will generally rise in air. If the
vapor density is greater than one the gas will generally sink in air. Examples of vapors which are
lighter than the air are acetylene, methane and oxygen. While on the other hands, examples of
vapors that are heavier than the air are, butane, chlorine and ethane which usually may create
fire and health hazardous.
3. Vapor Pressure
❖ The force exerted by the molecules on the surface of the liquid at equilibrium. It is the indication
of liquid evaporation’s rate. Substances with high vapor pressure are considered as VOLATILE.
4. Temperature
❖ The measure of thermal degree of agitation of molecules of a given substance; the measure of
molecular activity within a substance.
5. Boiling Point
❖ The constant temperature at which the vapor pressure of the liquid is equal to the atmospheric
pressure.
❖ Water may reach its boiling point in 100 degrees Celsius or 212-degree Fahrenheit.
6. Ignition temperature or Kindling temperature
❖ The minimum temperature to which the substance in the air must be heated in order to initiate or
cause self-contained combustion without the addition of heat from outside sources.
7. Fire point
❖ The temperature at which the material will give off ample vapors to keep burning. The highest
temperature. In which the vapor will continue burning even the source of ignition will be removed.
8. Flash point
❖ The temperature at which a material is not hot enough to keep burning, but still gives off enough
vapors to cause a flame to flash across the surface. The lowest temperature. Vapor may cease
to burn when the source of ignition is removed.
9. Auto-Ignition Temperature
❖ The lowest temperature to which a solid, liquid, or gas requires to be raised to cause self-sustained
combustion without initiation by a spark or flame.

B. Chemical Properties
1. Endothermic reaction
❖ These are changes whereby energy (heat) is absorbed or is added before the reaction takes
place. Example is the photosynthesis process in which the plant will absorb heat from the sun to
convert Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen Oxide to glucose and oxygen.
2. Exothermic Reaction
❖ Reactions or changes that release or gives off energy thus they produced substances with less
energy than the reactants. Example is the mixing of sodium and chlorine to yield table salt.
3. Oxidation
❖ A chemical change in which combustible material and an oxidizing agent react.
4. Combustion flame
❖ The manifestation of fire when the fire is in its gas-phased combustion. A matter that is produced
by fire.

PYROLYSIS
❖ It refers to the chemical process whereby fire consumes the most solid part of the fuel. It is
the thermal decomposition of a solid fuel through the action of heat.

f. Two (2) Basic Modes of Fire

The flaming stage is a region of rapid reaction that covers the period of initial occurrence of flame to a
fully developed fire. Heat transfer from the fire occurs predominantly from radiation and convection
from the flame. The combustion process occurs in two modes:

1. The flaming mode - The process occurring when the flames and plume of a fire are visible. In flaming
combustion, the fuel and air are both gases. The reactions and heat release occur in the gas adjacent
to the liquid or solid surface. There are two ways in which flaming combustion can take place
depending upon how the fuel and oxidizer mix before entering into the combustion reaction. The
flame can burn either as a premixed or as a diffusion flame.
2. The glowing mode- The process of oxidation of solid fuel accompanied by incandescence. All
volatiles have already been driven off, oxygen reaches the combustion surfaces, and there is no
visible smoke. This phase follows the smoldering combustion phase and continues until the
temperature drops below the combustion threshold value, or until only non-combustible ash remains
(National Wildfire Coordinating Group, 2019).

For the flaming mode of combustion, it is necessary for solid and liquid fuels to be vaporized. The solid
fuel vapors are thermally driven off (distilled) and the liquid fuel vapors evaporated. It is this volatile vapor
from the solid or liquid fuels that we see actually burning in the flaming mode. This gas or vapor mitigation
process (emitted from the fuel) is referred to as pyrolysis. Once a flame has been established, heat
transfer from the flame to the fuel surface continues to drive off more volatiles and perpetuates the
combustion process. For continued burning, the flaming mode requires a high burning rate, and a loss
of heat associated with heat transfer from the flame area in the conduction, convection, and radiation
modes. If the heat loss is less than the energy output of the fire, the fire will grow. If the heat loss is greater
than the energy output of the fire (as in the application of water), the fire will extinguish. Both modes
(flaming and flameless surface modes) can occur singly, or in combination. Flammable liquids and gases
only burn in the flaming mode. Wood, straw, and coal are examples where both modes may exist
simultaneously.

Flaming combustion can occur in the following forms:

1. Premixed flames where the fuel and oxygen are mixed prior to ignition (e.g. the flame on a Bunsen
burner, gas stove, or propane torch).
2. Diffusion flames (more common), where the fuel and oxygen are initially separate but burn in the
region where they mix (burning of a pool of flammable liquid or the burning of a log.)

g. Transmission of Heat
❖ It simply defines how the fire being spread and propagate to different size. It is the transmission
of heat by the nearby materials.
❖ Fire is being transferred in different ways. Such ways are as follows:
1. Conduction- The transmission of heat through a medium or conductor, such as pipe, hot air duct,
wire or even the wall.
2. Radiation- The transfer of fire and spread of fire from a heated or burning object. It takes place
through the air or through space, and sometimes causing the object to ignite.
3. Convection- The transmission of heat by moving currents of liquid or gas. When these gases or
liquids are heated, they begin to move within themselves; and by their free motion, the circulation
starts.
4. Direct Flame contact- It is the transfer of heat in one body to another. When a material is heated
to the point where flammable vapors are given off, the vapors and the materials may react and
creates combustion.

h. Sources of Ignition
✔ Direct contact
✔ Sparks
✔ Electrical equipment
✔ Lightning strikes
✔ Radiation
✔ Natural
The Techniques of equipment protection for use in explosive atmospheres are just a matter of controlling
(eliminating) possible ignition sources (secondary explosive protection) (DNH, 2019).
COMBUSTION
a. Principles of Combustion

1. FIRE TRIANGLE THEORY- the graphical representation of the three elements of fire.

a. Oxygen- A colorless, odorless gas and one of the compositions of air which approximately
measuring 21%.
Composition of Air: Oxygen requirement
● Oxygen- 21% 12 % - no fire
● Nitrogen-78% 14 % - flash point
● Inert gases-1% 21 % - fire point
b. Heat- A form of energy generated by the transmission of some other form of energy, as in
combustion or burning.
c. Fuel - Any substance which reacts chemically with oxygen and flames.

IN THIS THEORY, FIRE MAY BE EXTINGUISHED USING THE THREE WAYS:

1. Removal of fuel
2. Cutting off the oxygen
3. Reducing the temperature of the area.

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d. FIRE TETRAHEDRON (FIRE QUADRANGLE THEORY)- A four-sided representation of causes of fire. The fourth
element that is added is the Chemical reaction. When a fuel is heated, it gives off vapor which if mixed
with the correct amount of air, can be ignited by heat sources (e.g., sparks).

b. The primary factors that influence the spread of fires are:

1. Fuels
Light, small or fast-burning fuels -Dry grass, dead leaves and tree needles, brush and small trees.
Light fuels ignite quickly and cause rapid spread of fire. They act as kindling for heavier fuels and
burn out faster. Some green fuels such as tree needles have high oil content, and are fast-burning
when they are not in an active growing stage.
Heavy, large or slow-burning fuels- Logs, stumps, branch wood and deep duff (the topsoil or partly
decayed leaves and tree needles found under dense stands of brush or trees). Heavy fuels take
longer to ignite, spread slower, burn longer and throw off large volumes of heat when dry.

Snags- Snags struck by lightning can sometimes be the cause of forest fires, particularly if they are
left to burn/fall to the ground without follow-up assessment and/or suppression. Due to the unique
falling challenges posed by burning snags, this task is left to certified Danger Tree fallers. All burning
trees are considered suspect and must be properly assessed. In some cases, if snags are actively
burning inside, it may be desirable to suppress or extinguish the fire before falling cuts are made, as
falling cuts can increase the amount of oxygen available to the fire and could result in the fire flaring
up. If crews have any doubt about having sufficient resources to control a fire once a burning snag
strikes the ground, the tree is left standing and a suitable No Work Zone is placed around it. It is then
regularly monitored until the tree falls and the fire is completely extinguished. The ease of ignition
and rate of burning are influenced by the size of fuels.

Spacing- Fuel spacing describes the distribution of fuels in a given area. Fuel continuity is an
important factor in the behavior of fire because it indicates how quickly and why a fire may spread.
A wide range of fuel continuity conditions will be found in most forested areas. However, for
simplicity in determining fire behavior, two broad classifications of fuel spacing will be discussed:
horizontal and vertical. Horizontal spacing is the spacing of the fuel as it lies on the ground. When
fuels are close together, the fire will spread faster. When fuels are patchy, scattered or separated
by natural barriers such as rock, outcropping, streams, or areas of bare ground, the fire will be
irregular and spread more slowly. A common method used in fire suppression is to break the
continuity of the fuel by separating burning fuels from unburned fuels. When fuels are closely
spaced vertically, fire will spread rapidly as the fuels are pre-heated prior to ignition. When fuels are
spaced far apart vertically, the heat is not sufficient to ignite the fuels above.

Quantity- As the amount of flammable material in a given area increases, the amount of heat
produced by the fire also increases. The hottest fires, as well as those most difficult to control, occur
in areas containing the greatest quantity of fuel. In evaluating fuel volume, it should be noted that
a lot of small material such as fine deadwood, means that there is a lot of kindling material to light
other fuels. A lot of either small or large-sized material means that there is a good chance of a hot
fire. When fires start in areas containing a lot of large-sized material, there will be intense heat
transfer to fuels lying in the path of the fire (NFPA Journal, December 2015).

2. Weather- One of the most important factors affecting the behavior of a fire is weather. The three
most important components of weather are:

Wind- The stronger the wind, the faster the spread of the fire. Wind brings an additional supply of air
to the fire. It flattens the flame which pre-heats the fuel ahead and causes spot fires by blowing
sparks and embers ahead of the main fire into a new source of fuel. Winds generally blow upslope
at 5 to 10 miles per hour during the day because sun-warmed air rises. At night, they reverse and
blow downslope because cooler night air sinks. The wind at night is not usually as strong as the wind
during the day. When you are planning a fire attack, the direction of canyon and slope winds
should be carefully considered. Air currents flow up a canyon and slope during the day and down
during the night. Other wind behavior characteristics which must be considered: prevailing winds
usually blow from late morning to late afternoon and may blow at 15 to 30 km per hour or higher
by mid-afternoon cumulus clouds may indicate possible change in wind speed and direction winds
usually flow out from the edges of a thunderstorm and may reach speeds of 115 km per hour gusty
winds are very hazardous to fire-fighters because they change speed and direction rapidly.

Temperature- Fuels pre-heated by the sun burn more rapidly than cold fuels. The temperature of
the ground also affects the movement of air currents, as explained previously. Prolonged high
temperatures also affect the endurance and efficiency of the firefighters.

Humidity- Moisture in the form of water vapor is always present in the air. The measurement of that
moisture is called humidity and is always expressed as a percentage. Warm air absorbs more
moisture and produces a lower humidity. As air cools, the humidity increases. The amount of
moisture in the air affects the moisture in the fuel. This is an important factor in firefighting, since wet
and most green fuels will not burn freely. Air is usually drier during the day than at night. Fires, then,
burn more slowly at night, under normal circumstances, because the fuels absorb moisture from the
damp night air. This partially explains why a fire burns out of control in the afternoon and yet may
be controlled by the same crew at night. Every effort should be made to control a fire before
burning conditions build up the next day. This doesn't mean that an attempt to suppress a fire
should not be made during the day. Most fires are controlled during the day. If a fire cannot be
controlled during the day, an all-out effort must be made at night.

3. Topography- The 'lay of the land' is called topography. This is an important factor in the rate and
direction of fire spread and is usually broken into three categories:

Slope- It is the steepness of the land and has the greatest influence on fire behavior. The steepness
of the slope affects both the rate and direction of the fire spread. Fires usually move faster uphill
than downhill and the steeper the slope, the faster the fire will move. This is because: on the uphill
side, the flames are closer to the fuel the fuels become drier and ignite more quickly than if on the
level ground wind currents are normally uphill and this tends to push heat flames into new fuels
convected heat rises along the slope causes a draft which further increases the rate of spread
burning embers and chunks of fuel may roll downhill into unburned fuels, increasing spread and
starting new fires.
Aspect- Aspect is the direction the land faces - north, south, east or west. The aspect of a slope
influences a fire's behaviour in several ways:

✔ southern aspects receive more direct heat from the sun, drying both the soil and the
vegetation
✔ fuels are usually drier and less dense on southern slopes than fuels on northern slopes
✔ heating by the sun also causes earlier and stronger slope winds
✔ on south-facing slopes, there will normally be higher temperatures, stronger winds, lower
humidity and lower fuel moistures
These are all the conditions needed for quick starts and a rapid rate of fire spread.

Terrain- Terrain or special land features may control wind flow in a relatively large area. Wind flows
like water in a stream and will try to follow the path of least resistance (NFPA Journal, December
2015).

c. Spontaneous Combustion- It refers to the outbreak of fire without application of heat from an external
source. Spontaneous combustion may occur when combustible matter, such as hay or coal, is stored in
bulk. It begins with a slow oxidation process (as bacterial fermentation or atmospheric oxidation) under
conditions not permitting ready dissipation of heat—e.g., in the center of a haystack or a pile of oily rags.
Oxidation gradually raises the temperature inside the mass to the point at which a fire starts. Crops are
commonly dried before storage or, during storage, by forced circulation of air, to prevent spontaneous
combustion by inhibiting fermentation. For the same reason, soft coal in small size is wetted to suppress
aerial oxidation (Britanica, 2019).

d. DANGEROUS/ FATAL BEHAVIOR OF FIRE:

1. BACKDRAFT
▪ The sudden and rapid (violent) burning of heated gases in a confined area that occurs in
the form of explosion.
▪ This may occur because of improper ventilation. If room is not properly ventilated, highly
flammable vapors maybe accumulated such that when a door or a window is suddenly
opened, the room violently sucks the oxygen and simultaneously, a sudden combustion may
occur which may happen as an explosion (combustion explosion).

2. FLASHOVER
▪ The sudden ignition of accumulated radical gases produced when there is incomplete
combustion of fuels. It is the sudden burning of accumulated free radicals, which is initiated
by a spark/flash produced when temperature rises until flash point is reached. When
accumulated volume of radical gases suddenly burn, there will be a very intense fire that is
capable of causing flames to jump at a certain distance in the form of FIREBALLS. Fireballs
can travel to a hundred yards within a few seconds.

3. BITEBACK
▪ A fatal condition that takes place when the fire resists the extinguishment operation and
becomes stronger and bigger instead.

4. FLASHFIRE is better known as dust explosion

▪ This may happen when a metal post that is completely covered with dust is going to be hit
by lightning. The dust particles covering the metal burn simultaneously thus creating a violent
chemical reaction that produces a very bright flash followed by an explosion.

e. PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION
1. FIRE GASES
❖ Are those that remain when other products of combustion cool to its normal temperature. The fire
gases formed depends on :
a. chemical composition of the fuel;
b. the percent of oxygen present;
c. the temperature of the fire.
Carbon Monoxide burns rapidly when combined with the oxygen at high temperature which caused
backdraft explosions. Carbon Monoxide which is also produced by slow oxidation, is found in sewers,
caves, wells, mines, stoves, and automobile exhaust.
TYPES OF POISONOUS GAS
A. Hydrogen Sulfide ( H2S )- a fire gas formed during fires involving organic material containing
sulfurs, such as :
a. Rubber
b. Hair
c. Wood
d. Meat
o It is colorless, highly toxic gas with the strong odor of rotten eggs.
B. Hydrogen Cyanide ( HCN ) a toxic fire gas found in oxygen-starved fires involving nitrogen
containing materials such as:
a. Wool
b. Silk
c. Urethane
d. Acrylics
● The gas is also used as a fumigant which can pose serious danger to firefighters
working in recently fumigated buildings. It smells like bitter almonds.
C. Hydrogen Chloride ( HCl )
● A gas which can be fatal after a few breaths. It is commonly produced in fires
involving Chloride containing plastics. Plastics can be found to electrical insulations,
conduit and piping’s.
2. FLAME
❖ It is the luminous body of a burning gas which gets hotter and less luminous when mixed with more
oxygen. Flame fades when carbon burns completely, therefore flame is somewhat a product of
incomplete combustion.

TYPES OF FLAME
A. According to Color and Completeness of Combustion
1. Luminous Flame
❖ A reddish-orange or yellow in color; it deposits soot because it is a product of incomplete
combustion; it has a lower temperature and takes time to heat another object because it is cooler
than the non-luminous flame. Carbon dioxide is present.
2. Non- luminous flame
❖ Bluish in color; it does not deposit soot because it is a product of complete combustion; it has a
higher temperature than luminous flame. Oxygen is present.
B. According to Burning Fuel and Air mixture
1. Premixed Flame
❖ Exemplified by the Bunsen burner. the oxidizer are mixed before the combustion zone occurs.
2. Diffusion Flame
❖ Diffused or disperse flame; widely spread type of flame. It is a type of flame in which the oxidizer
combines with the fuel by diffusion. As a result, the flame speed is limited by the rate of diffusion.
❖ Diffusion flames tend to burn slower and to produce more soot because there may not be sufficient
oxidizer for the reaction to go to completion.
C. Based on the Smoothness
1. Laminar Flame
❖ (Smooth flame) flame is laminar when a particle follows a smooth path through a gaseous flame. A
flame which do not bounce around significantly.
2. Turbulent Flame
❖ (rough flame) those having unsteady, irregular swirls and eddies
3. HEAT
❖ A form of energy measured in degree of temperature. It is a product of combustion that spread the
fire. It causes burns and other injuries such as dehydration, heat exhaustion, and respiratory tract
injuries.
4. SMOKE
A visible product of incomplete combustion, usually a mixture of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and products that released from the burning material

NOTE: ADDITIONAL MATERIAL ANG VENTILATION BASAHIN NALANG AT INTINDIHIN

INCLUDED SA EXAM PERO HINDI ANG MGA TERMS
Ventilation

› The air/oxygen content and leakage in a structure will control the amount of burning
until a change in ventilation occurs.

› This change can be from any opening that will allow entry and/or exit of air.

› It may be natural, mechanical, accidental or intentional.

› The direction of the airflow will cause the fire to spread in that direction.

› Most of the time this direction is the same as the outside airflow that is caused by
atmospheric conditions (wind).

› There are three basic factors that control ventilation:

› General Conditions

› Such as open/closed of doors, windows, and vents.

› In addition, the general condition of the structure, type of materials and

construction techniques would determine the amount of air leakage into
or out of a building.

› There are three basic factors that control ventilation:

› Conditions that the fire creates as it intensifies and moves through the structure.

› Many times these openings allow a fresh source of air to the fire and will
intensify the fire in that area
Fire fighters can create ventilation changes to the fire by creating
additional openings and sometimes by “pushing the fire” with hose streams.

Weather

› Temperature, humidity and air/oxygen content & movement (wind) varies every day and
the norms are different in every part of the world.

› Even the temperatures that people maintain in their structures are different.

› Temperature or heat energy initially starts the fire;

● Intensifies the fire,

● Is the means by which fire spreads and,

● Produces greatest barrier to extinguishment.

› Temperatures effect ignition temperature and vapor to air ratios.

› Humidity norms are different in every part of the world, and will effect the ignition
temperature and the rate that the fuel burns.

› Air movement outside verses inside determines fire flow through a structure unless
tampered with.

› In normal ambient conditions the oxygen content is approximately 21%.

› The fire scene must be evaluated to see if anything could affect this percentage

Structure geometry

› Once the fire has started in a compartment, such as a room or building, the fire’s
development will be determined by compartment’s configuration and construction.

› There are three primary effects that this will have on the fire;

● ventilation,

● ability to retain heat,

● and the additional fuel load of the compartment.

Human factors

› Every person has unique daily living habits that are a product of their environment,
heritage and personal preferences.

● Examples are housekeeping, choice and arrangement of furnishings, and the

interior environmental conditions.
● Even if there were two identical structures, the building habitants would have
different furnishings in different places, and different configurations of doors and
windows, and many other differences that effect the progress of a fire.

› In addition, humans will react differently to a fire.

● Once the fire becomes observable, people will do things that impact the fire
development.

● Changing ventilation

● Leaving a door open when leaving

● Breaking a window

● Spreading the Fire

● Moving the fire source

● Attempts to control the fire