Hot Topics. What is the Fire Triangle?

We all know what fire is – fire happens when a substance burns and gives off light, heat and smoke. But what ingredients are needed to start a fire and keep it going?

Fire needs three essential ingredients to start…

Oxygen

The first ingredient is present all around us in the air… oxygen.

Fuel

The second ingredient is fuel, which can be any number of things – gases like the natural gas used for cooking, liquids like alcohol or petrol.

…and also solid materials like coal, wood, paper and other general waste.

Heat

Thirdly for a fire to start, you need heat which comes from an ignition source… an ignition source might be a naked flame from a match or candle, but alternatively could be from a hot surface, electrical equipment or static electricity. Heat also keeps a fire going and helps it to spread.

These three ingredients make up the Fire Triangle. Try to keep these three from coming together and you will reduce the risk of fire.

If you'd like to learn more about Fire Safety topics, we'd recommend taking our online Fire Safety training. Find out more about the course here.