FIRE HAZARDS - LECTURE, Lecture notes of Safety and Fire Engineering

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Fire hazards are conditions that increase the

likelihood of a fire starting or spreading. They

can be natural or human-made and are often

exacerbated by environmental conditions,

flammable materials, and lack of safety

measures.

2. Causes of Fires

Fires can be caused by various factors, which are often categorized as follows:

Human-Caused :

Electrical faults (e.g., faulty wiring, overloaded circuits).

Cooking mishaps (e.g., unattended cooking, grease fires).

Heating equipment (e.g., space heaters, fireplaces).

Improper handling of flammable materials (e.g., gasoline, chemicals).

Smoking materials (e.g., cigarettes, lighters).

Arson (deliberate fire-setting).

Natural Causes :

Lightning - Often a cause of wildfires in dry conditions.

Volcanic eruptions - Rare, but volcanic lava or ash can ignite fires.

Spontaneous combustion - Some materials, like oily rags, can self-ignite under

certain conditions.

3. Phases of a Fire Emergency

Fire emergencies typically progress through four main phases, each requiring specific

responses to manage the fire effectively:

A. Incipient Phase (Ignition) - The start of the fire when heat, fuel, and oxygen first

combine. Fire is small, with low heat and smoke. Quick intervention (such as using a fire

extinguisher) can often extinguish the fire at this stage.

B. Growth Phase - The fire spreads to nearby materials, and the temperature rises

rapidly. This phase may involve flashover , where temperatures rise so much that all

combustibles in the area ignite simultaneously. Containment efforts are crucial here to

prevent spread.