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2.3: Fire Triangle

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    Fire Triangle

    The Fire Triangle is a simple conceptual representation of fire from a chemical reaction standpoint.1

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    The fire triangle is represented by three elements that are each needed in order for a combustion reaction to occur.

    1. Fuel is the first part of the fire triangle that fire needs in order to burn. The fuel is the part of the reaction that contains the energy.
    2. Oxygen is the second part of the fire triangle that fire needs. Fire is an oxidation reaction, therefore oxygen is needed in sufficient quantities in or for the fuel to be oxidized during the reaction. Large quantities of oxygen within the reaction zone can significantly increase the burning rate, and the intensity of a fire.
    3. Heat is the final part of the fire triangle. Heat is what initiates the oxidation reaction. The oxidation reaction also generates heat which then causes more reactions. Once enough fuel is oxidized, the reaction becomes self-sustaining.

    Fire Tetrahedron

    Fire tetrahedronThe fire tetrahedron is a graphical representation of fire that includes a fourth side. As mentioned above, the oxidation reaction generates the heat needed to continue to feed the reaction. Removal of any of the three sides of the fire triangle from the reaction will result in the extinguishment of the fire. However, there are also chemicals that can stop the chemical reaction without the removal of any of the 3 sides of the fire triangle. This approach to extinguishment is represented by the fire tetrahedron which consists of:

    1. Fuel
    2. Oxygen
    3. Heat
    4. Uninhibited Chemical Chain Reaction

    References

    1. "Fire triangle" (n.d.) In Wikipedia. Retrieved August 18, 2026 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_triangle. Licensed CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

    Images: "Fire Triangle" and "Fire Tetrahedron" by Gustavb on Wikimedia Commons. Licensed CC BY-SA 3.0.

    This page titled 2.3: Fire Triangle was last modified on Fri, 21 Aug 2026 02:07:55 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Robert Smith.