The Fire Triangle Explained

Whilst a simple concept, the fire triangle (or combustion triangle) is a

scientific principle that is important for all people to be aware of.
Understanding how fires sustain themselves is essential background
information in situations where you may have to use fire safety
equipment.

In this article, we will be summarising the fire triangle, and the lesser
known fire tetrahedron, in order to give you vital insight into what
maintains a fire.
What is the Fire Triangle?
The fire triangle, or combustion triangle, is the three components
needed to ignite and sustain a fire. The three ingredients of a fire
triangle are; heat, fuel and oxygen.

If just one of these components is removed, the fire triangle will

collapse and the fire will be extinguished.

Let’s explore these components in more detail:

1. Heat
 A source of heat is required in order for ignition to occur, and different
materials have different ‘flash points’ e.g. the lowest temperature at
which they ignite.

Unfortunately, combustion reactions also produce heat as they burn,

further increasing the temperature of the fuel. For some types of fire,
the heat can be cooled with the application of water.
2. Fuel

A fire cannot begin if there is no material to burn. Homes and

businesses are full of flammable materials, such as paper, oil, wood
and fabrics. Any of these can serve as a fuel for a fire.

Some materials burn more easily than others. Fuels are probably the
most difficult ‘side’ of the fire triangle to remove, so it’s wise to store
them appropriately to prevent them becoming a fire hazard.
3. Oxygen

To sustain the combustion reaction, oxygen (or an oxidising agent) is

needed, as it reacts with the burning fuel to release heat and CO2.
Earth’s atmosphere consists of 21% oxygen, so there is plenty
available to trigger a fire if the other two components are present.

Fire blankets and certain fire extinguishers remove the oxygen ‘side’
of the triangle by removing it or displacing it, causing suffocation and
thereby ceasing the combustion reaction.
Fire Triangle Facts
 Normal air contains 21% oxygen.
 Fuel may also contain oxygen
 Heat sources include: the Sun, hot surfaces, sparks, friction and
electrical energy.
 Fuel sources can be a solid, liquid or gas.
flash point
The flash point of a volatile material is the lowest temperature at
which its vapours ignite if given an ignition source. The flash point is
sometimes confused with the autoignition temperature, the
temperature that causes spontaneous ignition.
fire point
The fire point of a fuel is the lowest temperature at which the vapour
of that fuel will continue to burn for at least 6 seconds after ignition by
an open flame.

LEL and UEL Explained (Explosive Gas)

The lower explosive limit (LEL) is the minimum concentration of

a specific combustible gas required to fire combustion when in
contact with oxygen (air). If the concentration of the gas is below
the LEL value, the mix between the gas itself and the air is too
weak to spark. The upper explosive limit (UEL) is the maximum
level of concentration of the gas that will burn when mixed with
oxygen; when the gas concentration is above the UEL value for
the gas/vapor, the mix is too “fat” to ignite or explode.