It is appropriate to smother a fire with a fire blanket primarily in cases of small fires where cutting off oxygen can quickly extinguish the flames. Typical scenarios include:
- Small kitchen fires, especially grease or oil fires, where water or other extinguishers might be unsafe or ineffective.
- Fires involving a person's clothing; a fire blanket can be wrapped around the person to smother the flames while they drop and roll.
- Spilled flammable liquids burning on surfaces.
- Small electrical fires involving equipment.
Fire blankets work by depriving the fire of oxygen, thus smothering it. They are effective for Class F fires (cooking oils and fats) and for quickly containing flames on surfaces or clothing before the fire spreads. The fire blanket should be large enough to fully cover the fire and left in place long enough to ensure the fire is out. Fire blankets are not suitable for large fires that exceed the size of the blanket, and it is critical to switch off the heat source (if possible) before using the blanket. They are also helpful to wrap around oneself if passing through a burning area during evacuation. In summary, the appropriate times to use a fire blanket to smother a fire are when dealing with small, contained fires involving cooking oils, clothing, small electrical equipment, or small flammable liquid spills, and for fire safety during escape scenarios.
