Talk:Flashover

The current entry for flashover seems pretty technical for the average Wikipedia reader and may be biased towards a certain school of thought, since it seems to incorporate some information that isn't in the upper-level fire dynamics book I'm looking at. Also, the fire service information seems to contain a local bias. --catseyes 23:44, 25 October 2007 (UTC)

Here is a link to an excellent article on the history and usage of the term flashover that seems to contradict what is currently here: http://www.firetactics.com/FLASHOVER%20-%20FIREFIGHTERS%20NIGHTMARE.pdf. As you can see, many of the terms that are currently in the wiki are listed as "NOT scientifically approved or referenced". Another article on the same site addresses the specific material that's posted on this wiki and describes it as "rather inappropriate definitions of various rapid fire phenomena, as used by the Swedish Fire Service in the 1980s, some of which may have found their way into various fire service training texts." --catseyes 23:55, 25 October 2007 (UTC)

Flashovers seems be a bit shore a backdraft is just a form of a flash over my brother is a LT in an FD. He has been in 2 flashovers.

One cause some pretty nasty burns as he was running out the other he crushed his back because he was forced to jump out of a 3rd floor window. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.109.127.19 (talk) 02:36, 4 November 2007 (UTC)

I realize the comments above are old (I am new) but I agree with Catseyes818 regarding terminology and after reading the section on flashover I have identified some areas which need revision/correction. I would suggest a review of the signs of flashover. Currently the article cites one sign as a closed room and depleted oxygen, this is in fact a sign of backdraft. Flashovers occur in freeburning fires. We can include text which explains there are several schools of thought on the cause of flashover i.e. gases at ceiling level reach auto-ignition temp (carbon monoxide=1200 degrees F) or and at the same time the solid combustibles in the room ignite from the rapid increase in temp when the ceiling gases ignite creating the "fire from floor to ceiling" observed in flashovers.Axebracket (talk) 03:20, 2 August 2008 (UTC)

Temperature

"500 °C (930 °F) or 1,100°F" I would simply change it to "500 °C (930 °F) or 593°C (1,100°F)" but I am not sure where the 1,100°F comes from. If it is itself based on a a figure in degrees Celsius, then an error might creep in. LaFoiblesse 2009-08-29 16h44 (GMT)

Lead section and types of flashover

The lead section should probably be rewritten to encompass the different types of flashover listed in the "Types of gaseous flashover" section. The lead section's definition actually describes only the heat-triggered rollover variety.

Rhsimard (talk) 07:12, 12 June 2011 (UTC)

Actually the article should be reviewed entirely for consistent definition of flashover. Note that in Flashover indicators, the leading indicator is "The fire is in a ventilated compartment, so there is no shortage of oxygen in the room," which is categorically opposite of the definition of a backdraft, equated with rich flashover earlier; the section accurately lists the criteria for the type described earlier in the article as lean flashover or rollover.

In addition to the reference cited above (http://www.firetactics.com/FLASHOVER%20-%20FIREFIGHTERS%20NIGHTMARE.pdf), http://www.firetactics.com/RAPID%20FIRE%20PROGRESS.pdf shows how much confusion there is about terminology. Unfortunately, that is contributing a degree of inconsistency to the article, which tries to encompass the various types of flashover in some places and then reverts to a single definition in others.

Rhsimard (talk) 04:39, 14 June 2011 (UTC)

... and an incident heat flux at floor level of 20 kilowatts per square metre ...

Floor level? This must mean 'sea level'? --Dan Bolser (talk) 22:09, 9 April 2019 (UTC)

No, floor. Andy Dingley (talk) 22:34, 9 April 2019 (UTC)

Outdoor flashover

Video evidence from 2003 Canberra bushfires Australian Capital Territory Government Emergency Services Agency. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=83&v=5H1eVy6O3Fo&feature=emb_logo

To 0:56 - just before the camera pans right we see something never before recorded - a landscape-scale flashover. Here partial combustion products in the air over the hillside suddenly receive an injection of oxygen and they complete their combustion within the space of two film frames - say 120 ha in 0.04 seconds. No other instance of this has ever been recorded on video.

— copyright ACT Emergency Services Agency

David Woodward ☮ ♡♢☞☽ 11:35, 29 December 2019 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: ETFS 3123 Course Projects

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 12 January 2026 and 8 May 2026. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Gstr1 (article contribs). Peer reviewers: CourseP.

— Assignment last updated by UCIHGrad18 (talk) 15:52, 8 April 2026 (UTC)