Which type of fire is classified as a Class A fire?

Class A fires are defined as fires that involve ordinary combustibles. These typically include materials such as wood, paper, fabric, rubber, and many types of plastics. The classification is based on the type of fuel that is burning. Firefighting techniques and extinguishing agents used for Class A fires focus on cooling the flames and reducing the material’s ability to sustain combustion.

This classification is important because the methods for extinguishing Class A fires differ from those used for burning flammable liquids or electrical equipment, which would fall under other classes of fires, such as Class B or Class C, respectively. Understanding the behavior of different combustible materials allows firefighters to employ the correct tactics to safely and effectively extinguish a fire.