What does a fire triangle consist of?

The fire triangle consists of heat, fuel, and oxygen, which are the essential elements required for combustion to occur. Each component of the triangle plays a crucial role in the fire process.

Heat is necessary to raise the temperature of the fuel to its ignition point. Without sufficient heat, the fuel will not ignite, even if it is surrounded by the other components. Fuel can be any material that can combust, such as wood, paper, or flammable liquids. Lastly, oxygen is required to support the chemical reaction of combustion. Fire typically needs at least 16% oxygen in the air to burn effectively, while the atmosphere generally contains about 21% oxygen.

Understanding the fire triangle is fundamental in fire prevention and firefighting because removing any one of these three components can extinguish a fire. For instance, applying water can cool the heat, removing flammable materials can eliminate fuel, and smothering a fire can displace the oxygen, thereby extinguishing the flames.