5.2: Phases of Fire

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Robert Smith
Western Technical College

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Fire Development Phases

Incipient Phase

The early stage of fire development, where the fire's progression is limited to a fuel source and the thermal hazard is localized to the area of the burning material.¹

Growth Phase

The stage of fire development where the heat release rate from an incipient fire has increased to the point where heat transferred from the fire and the combustion products are pyrolyzing adjacent fuel sources and the fire begins to spread across the ceiling of the fire compartment (rollover).

Fully Developed Phase

The stage of fire development where heat release rate has reached its peak within a compartment.

Decay Phase

The stage of fire development within a structure characterized by either a decrease in the fuel load or available oxygen to support combustion, resulting in lower temperatures and lower pressure in the fire area.

All Four Stages

Fire Development: Four Stages

You can see examples of these phases in the video below..

Video: "Fire Development: Four Stages" by UL Xplorlabs. YouTube Standard License.

References

^1.National Fire Protection Association. (2020). NFPA 1410: Standard on training for emergency scene operations. https://link.nfpa.org/free-access/publications/1410/2020

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Fire Development: Four Stages