SUMMARY

This chapter is about the fire. Fire is the result of a chemical reaction. The three things needed to generate fire are -fuel, oxygen, and heat. Every fuel has a specific temperature at which it starts to burn, this temperature is known as the “flash point” of the fuel.

Fire is a good servant but a bad master. As when the fire is under control it is very useful. We use fire to keep our homes warm in winter, to cook food, and to generate electricity. Whereas, when the fire is not under control it can cause huge destruction. Every year people are killed, properties are destroyed, forests are destroyed due to fire.

There are three ways in which we can put out a fire – prevent the supply of oxygen, cool down the temperature of the fuel below the flash point and remove the fuel.

Water is used more often to stop the fire. But sometimes it is not a good idea to use water on fires like electrical fire and oil fire. As when we spray water on the oil fire, the oil will float on the water and will continue to burn, and also water flows quickly carrying the fire causing more destruction. Spraying water on fire caused by electricity can cause electric shock and can even kill the person. A carbon dioxide extinguisher is the best way to deal with electric fire.

Now millions of rupees are spent on preventing fires and finding several ways to deal with the fire. Early days, when there are no firefighters. When a house is caught on fire, people formed a human chain and pass buckets of water from a well or pond to the place of fire. But now there are laws regarding building construction that ensures that the space is left between buildings. Highly trained fire brigades are there to put off the fire.

The discovery of fire had made our life easier.  In many parts of the world, fire is worshipped.