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Lt.Bowron - Reading Smoke
The Art of Reading Smoke
51
Other
Not Applicable
02/28/2009

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Term
Off-gas more quickly; more volatile
Definition
Modern home contents are made of materials that ____________ and create ____________ smoke than older materials.
Term
Four key Attributes of Smoke
Definition
-Volume
-Velocity
-Density
-Colour
Term
The Four Key Addtributes of Smoke
Definition
A fire officer can determine the size and location of the fire by comparing _________.
Term
Volume
Definition
Indicates the amount of fuels that are off-gassing.
Term
Low volume of smoke
Definition
A hot, clean-burning fire produces ________.
Term
Very high volume of smoke
Definition
A hot, fast burning, poorly ventilated fire procudes __________
Term
High volume of smoke, usually lighter in colour
Definition
Damp slow burning fuel produces _________.
Term
Synthetic
Definition
__________ fuels can produce large volumes of smoke with little heat.
Term
Large volume of smoke; ventilation
Definition
_________ may indicate that the container is full and pressure is building, ________ is needed.
Term
Laminar flow smoke
Definition
Stable, steady smoke flow, no turbulance.
Term
Turbulant smoke flow
Definition
Agitated, boiling, or "angry" smoke.
Term
Velocity
Definition
The speed of the smoke flow, indicating how much pressure has built up in the building.
Term
What caused
Definition
Tactically the fire officer needs to know _______ _______ the smoke velocity (pressure) to build.
Term
Heat and Volume
Definition
Two things that casue smoke to pressurize.
Term
Velocity caused by heat
Definition
Rises upward and slows gradually after it leaves the building.
Term
Velocity caused by volume restriction
Definition
Immediately slows and balances with outside air flow.
Term
Turbulent flow
Definition
If __________ is seen, flashover is likely.
Term
Turbulent flow
Definition
Caused by rapid expansion of gases within the smoke when volume is restricted.
Term
Ventilated; cooled
Definition
A structure exhibiting turbulent flow should be ________ and _________.
Term
smoke toxicology; thermal exposure
Definition
Persons in turbulent flow conditions have little chance of survival due to ___________ and __________.
Term
Least resistance
Definition
Smoke follows the path of __________.
Term
Loses; increased
Definition
Smoke ________ velocity with ________ distance from the fire.
Term
Laminar
Definition
The structure can absorb the heat from the smoke leading to a more ________ flow.
Term
Size
Definition
The _________ of the opening the smoke is coming out of should be considered when observing velocity.
Term
Density
Definition
Indicates how much fuel is present in the smoke.
Term
Increases
Definition
Increasing density of smoke ________ the potential for flahsover or rapid fire spread.
Term
Thick, black smoke
Definition
________, or dense smoke can render a vitim unconscious and cause death in just a few minutes.
Term
Happening at increasingly lower temperatur levels
Definition
Due to an increase in plastics and low-mass materials smoke-cloud ignition is _________.
Term
Smoke-cloud ignition
Definition
_________ can happen at temperatures unfelt by firefighters in full structural PPE.
Term
Colour
Definition
Can indicate the type of fuel burning in single-fuel fires.
Term
Colour
Definition
Indicates the states of heating and location of the fire within the building.
Term
White
Definition
The colour of smoke when it solid materials are first heated, caused by moisture.
Term
Tan or brown
Definition
Colour of wood smoke after intial moisture is gone and material is starting to break down.
Term
Grey
Definition
Colour of smoke from plastics and painted surfaces after initial moisture is gone.
Term
Black
Definition
Colour of smoke of all materials eventually.
Term
Black
Definition
The colour of smoke cuased by off-gassing from surfaces being touched by open flames.
Term
Black; hotter
Definition
The more _______ smoke, the ________ the fire.
Term
Open flaming
Definition
High velocity, low density, black smoke indicates ___________.
Term
Colour
Definition
Can indicate distance from the fire.
Term
More grey
Definition
As smoke increases in distance from the fire it will become ________ .
Term
It heats up additional objects, causing the release of moisture. - It deposits carbon on surfaces as it passes.
Definition
Smoke becomes more grey over distance because:
Term
Distinctive brown smoke
Definition
Comes from unfinished wood, usually indicating the structure itself is burning.
Term
- wall studs
- floor joists
- roof rafters/trusses
Definition
Most unfinished wood in a structure is found in the _________________.
Term
Indicates impending structural collapse
Definition
Brown smoke coming out of gable-end vents, eves, and floor seams.
Term
Close to the fire source
Definition
Faster, darker smoke comes from _______.
Term
Further from the fire source
Definition
Slower, lighter smoke comes from __________.
Term
Location of the fire
Definition
Determine ____________ by comparing smoke velocity and colour from multiple openings.
Term
Black fire
Definition
Fire with high-volume, turbulent velocy, ultra-dense, blacksmoke.
Term
Black fire
Definition
Sign of impending auto-ignition and flashover.
Term
Black fire, vent and cool
Definition
Firefighters should treat ________ the same as flames, __________.
Term
Conditions that alter the appearance of smoke.
Definition
- Wind
- Thermal balance
- Fire streams
- ventilation openings
- sprinkler systems
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