Cooperative Personnel Services Firefighter (CPS) Practice Exam 2025 - Free Firefighter Exam Questions and Study Guide

The fire triangle is a fundamental concept in fire science that explains the three essential elements required for combustion to occur: oxygen, heat, and fuel. Each of these components plays a crucial role in sustaining a fire.

Oxygen is necessary because it is a reactant in the combustion process. Heat provides the energy needed to initiate and maintain combustion, while fuel is the material that burns.

Water, on the other hand, is not part of the fire triangle; rather, it is commonly used as an extinguishing agent to cool the fire and reduce the heat component, thereby interrupting the combustion process. By eliminating heat or removing one of the other components, such as fuel or oxygen, water effectively helps to put out a fire.

Understanding the components of the fire triangle is vital for firefighters in both fire prevention and firefighting strategies, as it helps identify methods to control or extinguish fires effectively.