On the most basic level, fire consists of three elements: heat, fuel, and oxygen. Removing any of the three elements from a fire will put it out. It’s that simple. This is known as the “fire triangle”. One step up on the chain, and we have the “fire tetrahedron”. The fourth side of this tetrahedron being a chemical reaction. Again, as before, if you remove any of these elements, the fire goes out.
Let’s discuss the elements of my potential fire.
-Heat:
Keep me warm, figuratively and literally. Use your imagination. Keep my fire going.
-Oxygen:
Don’t smother me. Don’t displace my oxygen with your toxic gases, mainly carbon dioxide. Just breathe with me. Keep my fire going.
-Fuel:
I’m an old fashioned kind of guy in this respect. Keep me fully fueled, and my fire will never decay. Keep my fire going.
-Chemical Reaction:
Personally, my fire runs on the tetrahedron, and I need a chemical reaction between us. It’s either there, or it isn’t. It can’t be magically created. My molecules need to be torn apart, creating an exothermic reaction, releasing HEAT, burning my FUEL, causing IGNITION, COMBUSTION, and a SELF-SUSTAINING FIRE further ensuring our success!
Can you feel it?
Don’t fight my fire.
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Don’t fight mine!
always keep attesion to fire
Actually the fire triangle is what is required for ignition. The tetrahedron is the self-sustaining part. Removing one of the elements (ie: fuel) will cease the reaction which in turn extinguishes the fire.