In the ranking of emergencies, fires always occupy the top positions. An uncontrolled combustion process in any case brings material damage, and often also takes the lives of people.
Every person knows what a fire is. How to behave if a fire is detected, what should be done first? The answers to these questions are also obvious - evacuate immediately and call professional firefighters. All these are axioms, but not everyone knows about what fires are and how the source of ignition affects the rules of behavior when it is detected.
What is fire - definition
A fire is a fire, an ignition outside a controlled hearth, which is dangerous to people and property. In professional terminology, not only an open fire is called a fire, but also incandescence to a certain level and even the process of decay. The concept assumes the possibility of independent development and spread of fire, heat or decay.
A fire can be caused not only by arson or explosion, but also by other factors:
- spontaneous combustion of certain types of chemicals or materials with their high content,
- lightning or a ray of the sun that produces an optical effect that causes an increase in the temperature of the object on which it falls,
- improper operation of electrical or gas equipment,
- chemical reaction due to improper storage of explosive substances.
Any fire is three zones, each of which is dangerous. The main zone is the hearth, where open combustion, heat is noted. The next fire zone is a thermal effect that is life-threatening, and it is simply impossible to be in it, as in the main zone. The third is a smoke zone. It is no less dangerous than the first two, but you can be in it if you have special equipment.
Classification and types of fires
Fires are classified according to several parameters - type, location, cause, scale and others. In a professional environment, a classification is practiced, thanks to which firefighters know how to act and what extinguishing agents to use even before arriving at the scene of the fire.
If we talk about the simplest classification of fires, their types, then they are:
- separate,
- massive
- solid,
- fire.
A separate fire is called a fire, access to which is not limited. Neighboring buildings are not involved in it, the movement of firefighters to the heat source is possible without special clothing and protective equipment for breathing.
The second type of fire is solid. It is characterized by combustion in a large area involving a large number of buildings. With such a fire, firefighters work in special equipment, extinguishing occurs with the use of technology.
Mass fires are called mass fires that combine the signs of continuous and separate fires. To extinguish them, as a rule, a large number of calculations (teams of specialists) are involved.
A firestorm is a continuous fire, rapidly spreading, with signs of ascending currents of open fire and hot air, a pronounced inflow of fresh air to the hearth.
In addition, fires are divided into types of localization - in an open space, indoors, natural. For each of these species, detailed instructions on behavior have been developed, both for professionals and for ordinary people involved in them.
Open space fires
This type of fire is characterized by the absence of restrictions on heat and gas exchange, that is, hot air and smoke do not accumulate, but are released into the atmosphere. Open fires include fires in industrial plants or highways, warehouses, natural fires.
If a fire is detected in an open area, the first thing to do is call the fire brigade. You must be ready to report the following information about the fire - the exact coordinates, the estimated (approximate) area, the intensity of combustion.
The technology for extinguishing such fires is different from the principle of localizing fires, for example, indoors. First of all, firefighters plow the area engulfed in fire, determine the focus and intensity, and, if necessary, call additional calculations.
Trying to cope with an open fire on your own is not recommended. Without proper knowledge and experience, acting incorrectly, you can unwittingly cause an increase in the intensity of the fire and the speed of its spread.
Indoor fires
Such fires in a professional environment are divided into two types - open burning and hidden. In most cases, they are caused by a person or household appliances. Spontaneous combustion is common in televisions, heating appliances and stoves.
Hidden foci of combustion in a room, for example, in ventilation shafts or garbage chute shafts, are no less dangerous than open ones. The flame at any moment can go beyond their boundaries and spread at lightning speed through finishing materials, textiles and furniture.
Even if the access of oxygen to the room where the fire is localized is limited, open fire spreads quickly. Even faster, the room is filled with combustion products - carbon monoxide and smoke.
If a fire breaks out in an apartment, house or their separate rooms, it is necessary not to try to extinguish the fire, but to evacuate immediately. The extinguishing should be done by professionals who are characterized by the absence of panic, who have special equipment and the necessary skills. It is important to understand this and strictly observe this rule.
Natural fires - features and causes
One of the most dangerous fires is natural. They are divided into three main types - steppe, forest and peat. Any of these types of fires can be dangerous not only for the environment, but also for humans and their property.
Forest fires occur, as a rule, through human fault, spread spontaneously and uncontrollably, and very quickly. As a result of the burning of forest stands, shrubs and grass, air pollution occurs, nearby water bodies, destabilizes the functionality of transport routes running through the burning forest. In addition, under the influence of high temperatures, soil erosion begins, which is fraught with the death of all living things on it for a long period of time.
Steppe fires spread even faster than forest fires. The main reason for their occurrence is the burning of dry grass. Constant winds are characteristic of the power-law terrain, which is a direct threat to settlements. Even a minor fire can destroy the steppe ecosystem by 99%.
Peat fires are characterized by long periods of smoldering and dangerous activity. Peat, even its thick layer, is capable of spontaneously igniting in hot weather, when its surface warms up to 45-50˚С. This is possible even at an air temperature of 35˚С.
Natural fires are classified according to one more criterion - the localization of its distribution (combustion contour). They can be grass-roots, soil-peat, riding. The most difficult thing to extinguish, oddly enough, is soil-peat.
How to behave in the event of a fire
If smoke appears in the living area or an open fire is observed, it must be left immediately. Don't try to put out the fire yourself. Panic is the worst enemy in this situation. Attempts to extinguish can only be made after the fire brigade has been called.
If a fire catches in the forest or steppe, you need to adhere to a similar rescue tactic - dial the emergency number and leave the place of fire.
It is possible to make attempts to extinguish the fire on its own only if the hearth is small and the causes of the fire are clear, that is, their source is not chemical or explosive substances, electrical appliances or industrial pipelines.
