Classification of Fires

Most fires that occur will fall into one or more of the following categories:

	Class A: Fires involving ordinary combustible materials, such as paper, wood, and textile fibers, where a cooling, blanketing, or wetting extinguishing agent is needed.
	Class B: Fires involving flammable liquids such as gasoline, thinners, oil-based paints and greases. Extinguishers for this type of fire include carbon dioxide, dry chemical* and halogenated agent types.
	Class C: Fires involving energized electrical equipment, where a nonconducting gaseous clean agent or smothering agent is needed. The most common type of extinguisher for this class is a carbon dioxide exinguisher.
	Class D: Fires involving combustible metals such as magnesium, sodium, potassium, titanium, and aluminum. Special dry powder* extinguishing agents are required for this class of fire, and must be tailored to the specific hazardous metal.
	Class K: Fires involving commercial cooking appliances with vegetable oils, animal oils, or fats at high temperatures. A wet potassium acetate, low pH-based agent is used for this class of fire.