Home & Family Fire Safety - How Fires Start

People are aware that fires of all kinds can destroy many different aspects of peoples’ lives. However, it can be helpful to know how fires actually start. People are (usually) also aware of fire prevention practices, and what they need to do to keep their family and loved ones safe. But having a primary understanding of the basics of fire (the elements of fire and how it starts), can lead to the prevention of fires in the home for many different families.

First of all, fire is created when there is a chemical reaction between fuel material and oxygen, and heat is a byproduct that keeps the fire going. Fires can be started by natural causes (lightning or excessive heat on dry, wild brush, for example), or they can be started by men (flint, stone, and brush, matches, lighters, cooking, space heaters, and fires in the fireplace are all examples).

So, how exactly does this chemical reaction to start a fire? First, we will take a brief look at the elements of fire. For a fire it needs to have these three (3) elements (as briefly stated above): fuel, oxygen, and heat. Without any one of these elements, a fire is simply not possible.

Fuel is the first on the list. Fuel is the material for the actual fire. Fuel can be solid, liquid, or gas in form. Examples of these fuels are: wood, coal, tinder, and paper (solid), gasoline (liquid), or methane or butane (gas). Of course there are more to each list, but these are the ones most commonly found in instances of fires in the home.

The next element on the list is oxygen. Oxygen is pretty simple: it is the air we breathe, and it is literally everywhere on earth. It is hard to get away from such an element because we need it to survive (and fire does too!). But remember, without oxygen, a fire simply cannot occur.

The final element is heat. Heat can come from many different sources. In the home, heat can be found from the space heater, the stovetop, the oven, or lit candles. Outside the home, lightning, the sun, or a carelessly tossed cigarette can be causes of heat.

When these three (3) elements are combined, a fire can be born. However, the heat is what keeps the fire alive. The more oxygen there is, the larger and hotter the fire can become. Due to chemical reactions, the fire creates new heat, and it stays aflame. Once one of these three elements is taken away, the fire then becomes extinguished.

So, when attempting to prevent fires in your home or backyard, consider these three (3) elements. The main source that causes fire is heat. If heat comes in contact with fuel (i.e. a space heater is sitting right in front of a stack of old newspapers), a fire can easily be born. Be aware of the heat sources in your home, and never leave them unattended. It could mean the difference between keeping your home or losing it.

This article was provided by the authors at Pet-Super-Store.com an online pet supplies store featuring dog houses.