ONTARIO FIRE COLLEGE
DATE:
TFPS LESSON PLAN
INSTRUCTOR:
TOTAL TIME:
Fire Behaviour
Cognitive learning: 2 hours
LEARNING OUTCOME(S):
ESTIMATED TIME:
The learner will be able to:
Describe the properties of solid, liquid, and gas fuels associated with structural fires.
Define combustion.
Name the parts of the fire tetrahedron.
Describe the methods for extinguishing a fire.
Describe hazardous conditions found on an emergency scene.
Explain how the effects of fire can create a hazardous condition in a structure.
Explain the health and safety effects of prolonged exposure to the products of combustion.
Explain the four sources of heat.
Identify the classes of fire (A, B, C, D, and K).
Explain the five classes of fire and the risks associated with each class.
Identify the percentage of oxygen required to sustain human life.
Describe the effects of oxygen on fire.
List the three modes of heat transfer.
List the four phases of fires.
Discuss the chemistry and physics of fire through the stages of a fire in a structure.
Describe the principles of thermal layering in a structure fire.
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ONTARIO FIRE COLLEGE
TFPS LESSON PLAN
Identify products of combustion.
Describe the specific characteristics of plastic, liquid, electrical, and metal fires.
Describe hostile fire events including flashover and backdraft, and the methods for preventing
them from occurring.
Discuss the observations in reading smoke and the warning signs of hostile fire events.
INTRODUCTION:
ESTIMATED TIME:
Fire has played a major role in the development of society. Fire has been a friend as well as an enemy.
Burning is also known as combustion, which is a simple chemical reaction. The American Heritage
Dictionary defines burning as a rapid, persistent chemical change that releases heat and light and is
accompanied by flame, especially the exothermic oxidation of a combustible substance. It is important
to understand the behaviour of fire and what causes it to begin, grow, and spread.
APPLICABLE SECTION 21 GUIDANCE NOTES & SAFETY NOTE
Remember as the T/F you are a supervisor for this work period and will observe and enforce
all appropriate health and safety measures for you lesson participants.
NOTE(S) #
PRESENTATION
Page 2
GUIDANCE NOTE NAME / SAFETY NOTE
ESTIMATED TIME:
ONTARIO FIRE COLLEGE
LESSON OUTLINE
TFPS LESSON PLAN
TEACHING AIDS
Slide 2
INTRODUCTION
A.
Since ancient times, fire has been one of the most
(Estimated Time:15 minutes)
Pg 86
important life-sustaining components.
B.
Fire has played a major role as a tool in the development of
society.
1.
Sometimes an ally, sometimes an enemy
C.
Much has been learned about fire in the last thirty years
D.
To best understand fire behaviour, a firefighter needs to
combine
1.
Understanding of fire dynamics
2.
Supervised experience and first-hand observations
3.
Ongoing commitment to learn
E.
This book will use metric system and also provide the
English system.
Slide 3
FIRE DEFINED
A.
Fire is burning.
1.
Burning is combustion.
2.
Combustion is a chemical reaction.
B.
Deflagration is combustion at a rate below the speed of
(Estimated Time:20 minutes)
Pg 86 – 96
sound.
C.
Detonation is combustion above the speed of sound.
D.
Fire tetrahedron is the assembly of heat, fuel, oxygen, and a Slide 4 & 5
self-sustaining chemical reaction.
1.
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Removal of any one of the four ingredients is the key to
ONTARIO FIRE COLLEGE
TFPS LESSON PLAN
fire extinguishment.
a)
Cooling the burning material.
b)
Removing the fuel
c)
Excluding oxygen from the fire
d)
Breaking the self-sustaining chemical reaction
E.
Heat
1.
For a fire to begin, fuels need to be heated.
2.
Chemical heat: various chemicals react with each other.
a)
Exothermic Reaction
b)
Endothermic Reaction
3.
Mechanical heat: friction of two materials rubbing against
Slide 6 -10
each other
4.
Electricity most recognized source of heat
5.
Nuclear heat comes from unstable radioactive materials.
F.
Fuel
1.
Material consumed by the combustion process
2.
Molecules in a solid are packed closely together.
a)
Pyrolysis is the decomposition, or transformation of a
compound caused by heat.
3.
Liquid’s ability to burn depends on substance’s ability to
place its molecules into suspension.
4.
Gaseous fuels are in a state of suspension.
a)
Primed for combustion
b)
Flashpoint
c)
Fire point
d)
Ignition temperature
5.
Fuel must be at a certain temperature before combustion
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Slide 11 & 12
ONTARIO FIRE COLLEGE
TFPS LESSON PLAN
can take place.
G.
Oxygen
1.
Acts as a catalyst for the combustion process
2.
Oxidation is the process of oxygen bonding to other
Slide 13 & 14
elements and compounds
3.
Oxidation affects the process of combustion
4.
Chemical reaction accelerated with an abundance of
oxygen
H.
Chemical chain reaction
1.
When heat, fuel, and oxygen combine to start combustion,
a chemical chain reaction forms.
2.
Slide 15
Scientists discovered certain chemicals introduced into
burning process can stop flaming.
3.
Foundation for understanding how fires begin is grounded
in the fire tetrahedron.
FIRE GROWTH
A.
Once a fire begins, it will grow in a self-sustaining manner.
B.
The heat being released will be transferred to other fuels.
C.
The firefighter who understands fire growth can better
Slide 16 & 17
(Estimated Time: 40 minutes)
predict fire behaviour.
D.
Modes of heat transfer
1.
Heat is a by-product of combustion.
2.
Conduction is the transfer of heat through a solid object.
3.
Convection is the transfer of heat through air and liquid
currents.
4.
Radiation is the transfer of heat through invisible
lightwaves.
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Slide 18 & 19
ONTARIO FIRE COLLEGE
E.
Fire phases
1.
Burning occurs in clearly defined phases.
2.
Ignition phase: substance begins to heat up, liberates gases
TFPS LESSON PLAN
Slide 20 - 22
that can burn
3.
Growth phase: fire begins to grow from the point of
ignition
a)
Oxygen supply
b)
Fuel
c)
Container Size
d)
Insulation
4.
Thermal layering is the stratification of air and fire gases
into layers based on their temperatures.
5.
Fully developed phase: All contents within perimeter of
fire’s boundaries are burning.
6.
Decay stage: All fuel consumed and the fire diminishes in
size.
F.
Products of combustion
1.
Matter is neither lost nor gained; it changes form.
2.
By-products of burning process are heat, light, and smoke.
3.
Heat causes dehydration, heat exhaustion, and burns.
4.
Light can cause damage to eyesight.
5.
Smoke is the most dangerous product of combustion.
a)
Considered a by-product of incomplete combustion
SPECIFIC FIRE CHARACTERISTICS AND
EVENTS
A.
Liquid, electrical, and metal fires have certain
characteristics.
B.
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Several unique fire events can occur within a compartment
Slide 23 & 24
(Estimated Time: 30 minutes)
Slide 25
Pg 112
ONTARIO FIRE COLLEGE
or structure.
C.
Learning to “read smoke” can help predict fire behaviour.
D.
Liquid fires
1.
Liquid fuels must vapourize.
2.
Vapourization is the process in which liquids are converted
to gas or vapour.
3.
Most liquid fires do not mix well with water.
4.
Typically extinguished by coating the liquid with an agent
such as foam
E.
Electrical fires
1.
Class C fire: Electrical energy is creating heat.
2.
Control of a Class C fire begins with control of electricity.
3.
Fire control efforts are aimed toward Class A or B
materials.
4.
Use of water can present extreme shock hazards while fire
is still electrically energized.
F.
Metal fires
1.
Class D metal fire is a chemical reaction fire.
2.
In some cases, the presence of water will cause a violent
reaction.
3.
Control of Class D fires can be quite difficult or amazingly
simple.
4.
Shape, size, amount, and type of metal burning will dictate
the best extinguishment method.
G.
Hostile fire events
1.
Any uncontrolled fire in a building is a hostile fire event.
2.
Hostile fire event: unique fire phenomenon
a)
Flashover is a sudden event that occurs when all the
contents of a container (room) reach their ignition
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TFPS LESSON PLAN
ONTARIO FIRE COLLEGE
TFPS LESSON PLAN
temperature nearly simultaneously.
b)
Backdraft is the sudden and explosive ignition of
pressurized, superheated, and oxygen-deprived gases
caused by the reintroduction of oxygen.
c)
Rapid fire spread event is when the accumulated smoke
within a building ignites and suddenly spreads the fire.
H.
Reading smoke at structural fires
1.
Firefighter applies understanding of basic fire behaviour by
Slide 26 - 28
reading smoke.
a)
Helps discover clues about the location of the fire
2.
Smoke volume is an indicator of the amount of fuels that
are “off-gassing.”
Smoke velocity is an indicator of pressure that has built up
3.
within the building.
Smoke density is indicative of the amount of fuel that is
4.
laden within the smoke.
Smoke color is an indicator of type of material burning, the
5.
stage of burning, or the location of the fire.
LESSONS LEARNED
A.
Firefighter survival and fire attack effectiveness is
dependent on the understanding of fire dynamics.
1. Ingredients needed for combustion
2. Heat sources
3. Fuels
4. Fire phases
5. Special considerations
6. Reading smoke
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Slide 29
(Estimated Time: 5 minutes)
ONTARIO FIRE COLLEGE
TFPS LESSON PLAN
SUMMARY:
TEACHING AIDS
Combustion results from the chemical reaction of heat, fuel, and

Instructional outline
oxygen.

Required references

With few exceptions, only organic materials will burn.

Recommended references

Heat sources can be chemical, mechanical, or nuclear.

The stages of the burning process are ignition, growth, fully

PowerPoint presentation
developed, and decay.

Equipment required to run



(if applicable)
Heat is transferred through conduction, convection, and
PowerPoint presentation
radiation.

PowerPoint presenter
Fires are classified into different types and are extinguished

Chalkboard/whiteboard, or
differently.
easel pad

Chalk or markers
ANY QUESTIONS? OR AREAS YOU WISH ME TO
REVIEW?
APPLICATION & TEST:
Celebration of Knowledge before Next Session
ASSIGNMENT:
Read Chapter 3 Essentials of Fire Fighting 5th Addition
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ESTIMATED TIME:
25 Mins
ONTARIO FIRE COLLEGE
REFERENCE MATERIALS:

Canadian Firefighter’s Handbook:
Firefighting and Emergency Response
TFPS LESSON PLAN
TRAINING AIDS REQUIRED:

Instructional outline

Required references

Essentials of Fire Fighting 5th Addition

Recommended references (if applicable)

NFPA 1001, Standard for Firefighter

PowerPoint presentation
Professional Qualifications, National

Equipment required to run PowerPoint
Fire Protection Association, Quincy,
MA, 2008
Page 10
presentation

PowerPoint presenter

Chalkboard/whiteboard, or easel pad

Chalk or markers