How Does Fire Spread?: Conduction, Convection & Radiation

Convection

The first way that fire can spread is through convection. How does fire spread through convection? This is perhaps one of the most challenging and dangerous ways that a fire spreads. During the process of convection, heat that occurs due to a fire rises and cannot go anywhere outside the building, as the ceiling traps this heat. Rather than travelling further upwards and into the air, the fire will spread outwards across the entire floor of the building and beyond, causing a property to become immersed in flames extremely quickly.

In most cases, convection has been identified as the way that fire is spread in workplaces, and is also common in homes. Materials of a combustible nature can easily catch fire and cause an even faster and more damaging spread of fire, which can be difficult to contain and lead to major damage and even injury.

Conduction

How does a fire spread when it is not being caused and spread further through convection? Conduction is another way in which fire can be easily spread. But how does fire spread through conduction? This spreads fire in a different way than through convection, as it is caused not by heat rising and having no exit, but through fire spreading when materials come into contact. The severity of conduction fires depends on the type of materials found on your premises, as not all materials are combustible in the same way, or conduct fire as successfully.

Heat and fire can spread not only through free-standing items in your space (such as bookshelves, desks and chairs), but through the very structure of your building. Your carpets, steel structural beams, and wooden construction elements can conduct fire easily, and cause a structural collapse in some extreme cases.

Radiation

The final way in which a fire is commonly spread is through radiation – and you may wonder “how does fire spread through radiation?”. The spread of fire through radiation is the process in which heat is transferred through the air due to electromagnetic waves. This causes heat to spread in multiple directions until it comes into contact with an absorbent building or object. Radiation is how fire can seemingly spread “through thin air” to other buildings, entering through windows, lighting materials on fire, and causing a distressingly fast spread that can prove destructive to multiple buildings if left unchecked.

The Importance of Passive Fire Protection to Reduce the Spread of Fire

When asking “by what means does fire spread?”, there are multiple answers, with some being more common than others. However, it is vital to prepare for every eventuality, and this is when passive fire protection becomes important in reducing the spread of fire.

The first thing to address when creating more robust fire protection is to ensure that all your on-site staff are fully trained in fire safety and understand not only how to deal with a fire should one occur, but how to prevent them. This includes best practice fire safety measures and spotting potential issues. Thorough and ongoing training is a great first step.

Of course, this isn’t the whole story. You must make sure that your building is not constructed using materials that facilitate the spread of fire – while this can be difficult to remedy with older buildings, the kinds of materials in your structure will give you a good idea of which type of fire is most likely, and how to train staff and provide a safe working location in accordance with this.

It is also worth noting that you should not store large amounts of combustible materials onsite – or that they are being stored with a clear understanding of the impact of improper storage and care. For an office, this might mean reducing your paper waste, or in an environment where chemicals are kept, these must be stored in a secure and fire-resistant location. By combining training with thoughtful design and storage solutions that focus on lowering risk and potential harm, you can prevent and reduce the spread of fires, regardless of their nature.

At Ark Fire Protection, we specialise in passive fire protection. This is the installation and maintenance of measures such as fire doors, fire compartmentation, and fire curtains to limit the spread of fire – and allowing a suitable amount of time for individuals to exit a premises. If you are in need of the installation or maintenance of passive fire protection measures for your premises, please get in touch today.