You may not realize it, but not all fires are the same.
Knowing the different types of fire and knowing the right response are often key to successfully putting out a fire.
Fires are classified based on the material fueling them.
Correctly identifying a fire could save your home or business.
Choosing the wrong method could be ineffective or even downright dangerous.
So, how many classes of fire are there, and what do you need to do to extinguish them properly? Learn about different kinds of fires by reading on.
How Many Classes of Fire Are There?
The fire classification system puts fires into categories based on the material fueling the flames.
The classification system is crucial in firefighting because some flammable objects require special tactics.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, these are the classes:
- Class A: Fires involving ordinary combustible materials like wood, paper, cloth, and plastics
- Class B: Fires involving flammable liquids and gases, such as gasoline, propane, or oil
- Class C: Fires involving electrical devices, like electrical wiring, kitchen appliances, or fuse boxes
- Class D: Fires involving combustible metals, such as magnesium or sodium
- Class K: Fires involving cooking oils and other fats used in cooking
Class A Fires
Class A fires are fires fueled by combustibles like wood, cardboard, or paper.
These are found in most homes, so type A fires are common, particularly in office buildings and homes.
Class A fires can easily be extinguished by water, as it cools down the fire and eliminates the heat.
Water is effective, but a foam fire extinguisher is superior.
Unlike water, foam coats the flammable material, preventing it from igniting again.
While class A are common, they’re relatively easy to prevent. Keep these safety tips in mind:
- Keep combustible materials like paper and cardboard away from heat sources
- Use as much fire-resistant material as possible during construction
- Have smoke detectors in every room
Class B Fires
Class B fires can be quite dangerous because they involve flammable liquids like gasoline, alcohol, and oil.
They’re also caused by gases like butane or propane.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, the best way to put out a Class B fire is by using dry chemical powders.
Typically, these contain sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, carbon dioxide, or foam.
The methods work because they cut off the oxygen flow to the fire or disrupt the chemical reaction that causes the fire to burn.
These fires can spread rapidly, but you can mitigate the risk by taking some basic precautions. For example:
- Never store flammable liquids in anything but the approved containers they came in
- Always ensure proper ventilation
- Follow all safety instructions
- Keep flammable material away from any potential ignition sources, such as sparks or static electricity.
Class C Fires
Fires in this class are fueled by electrical equipment.
This could be anything from your kitchen appliances, your computer, or even your fuse box.
These fires have a specific class because trying to fight them with water could be incredibly dangerous.
Since water conducts electricity, using it to douse the flames poses a serious risk of electric shock.
According to UCLA Health, you should only ever use non-conductive firefighting agents such as CO2 or dry chemicals.
These types of fires are not too common thanks to strong consumer regulations, but not every electronics producer follows the rules.
Consider these safety tips:
- Only buy electrical equipment that’s manufactured according to regulations
- Regularly inspect your electrical systems for any faults or signs of damage – when in doubt, consult a pro
- Avoid overloading electrical outlets
- Use surge protectors
- Unplug electrical appliances when you’re not using them
- Allows follow the safety information from appliance manufacturers
Class D Fires
Class D fires involve combustible metals – materials like titanium, magnesium, or sodium.
The average household is unlikely to have significant quantities of these materials, so you’ll typically only see class D fires in industrial or laboratory fires.
Conventional firefighting methods are ineffective against class D fires.
The only way to extinguish one is to use dry powder intended specifically for combustible metals.
By forming a crust over the metal, the extinguishers prevent oxygen from feeding the flames.
When dealing with combustible metals, keep these principles in mind:
- Always store combustible metals away from other reactive materials
- Use protective equipment when handling these materials
- Store conductive metals in a cool and dry place at all times
- Always follow the safety protocols in a laboratory or industrial setting
Class K Fires
Class K fires involve cooking oils and fats.
While it’s possible to start a class K fire at home, they’re more common in commercial kitchens.
A professional kitchen needs a wet chemical extinguisher, as these are best for putting out oil fires.
By creating a soapy layer on top of the burning oil or fat, the fire can’t get any oxygen, and it burns itself out.
If you work in a kitchen, you should always keep these safety protocols in mind:
- Never leave any cooking food unattended, even for just a few minutes.
- Clear grease traps and exhaust hoods often.
- Have suitable wet chemical fire extinguishers ready and accessible.
Choosing the Right Fire Extinguisher
If a fire needs to be put out quickly, how can you tell if the fire extinguisher is up to the task? Thankfully, most fire extinguishers have labels that tell you which class they’re meant for.
Sometimes these are even color-coded, too.
For example, red usually indicates class A and yellow class B.
Protect Your Home or Business With Certizona Fire & Safety
How many classes of fire are there? The answer is 5.
Everyone should know these classes – knowing the difference could be lifesaving.
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