Description

There are different classifications of fires differentiated by the type of material that is burning. In general terms, there are four primary fire types:

1. Class A - Ordinary combustibles (solid material fires) - wood, paper, plastic etc,
2. Class B - Flammable liquids or gases - fuels, alcohol, aerosols,
3. Class C - Electric fires,
4. Class D - Combustible metal fires - magnesium, potassium etc.

Fires of all classifications cannot be dealt with in the same way. As a consequence, the airport rescue and fire fighting services (RFFS) must have a variety of fire suppression tools at their disposal. This article identifies the three primary categories of fire extinguishing agents currently used by the RFFS in dealing with aircraft fires. These categories are: