Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute (FESTI) Entry Exam Practice

The three components of the fire triangle are heat, fuel, and oxygen. These elements are essential for the combustion process to occur. Heat provides the energy necessary to increase the temperature of the fuel to its ignition point. Fuel is any material that can burn, whether it's a solid, liquid, or gas. Oxygen is required to sustain the chemical reaction of combustion. In a fire situation, if you remove any one of these components, the fire cannot continue to burn. This understanding is crucial for both fire prevention and firefighting strategies, as it allows responders to effectively extinguish fires by targeting one of these elements.

While other options mention components related to fires, they do not accurately encompass all elements required for a fire to exist or continue burning. For instance, water does play a role in extinguishing fires but is not part of the fire triangle. Similarly, smoke and carbon monoxide are byproducts of combustion or signs of a fire, rather than components necessary for fire itself.