If a fire does not have a fresh supply of oxygen, it eventually reaches which stage?

When a fire does not receive a continuous supply of oxygen, it eventually reaches the decay stage. During this phase, the fire begins to consume the remaining combustible materials and gradually loses intensity due to the depletion of available oxygen. In the decay stage, the heat and flames diminish, and the fire transitions from an active burning stage to a less intense state. This ultimately leads to the fire extinguishing itself due to insufficient oxygen for combustion.

Understanding the decay stage is crucial for fire officers to determine the fire’s behavior and to plan their firefighting tactics effectively. Recognizing when a fire is in this stage can inform decisions related to ventilation, suppression efforts, and overall incident management. Other stages, such as ignition or flashover, represent different conditions where the fire is either starting or rapidly accelerating, rather than winding down due to a lack of fuel in the form of oxygen.