Hydrocarbons are typical of which fire class?

• A. Class Charlie
• B. Class Bravo
• C. Class Alpha
• D. Class Delta

Answer: (B)

Hydrocarbons are liquids that serve as fuels, so they belong to the fire class for flammable liquids. Hydrocarbons such as gasoline, kerosene, and many solvents burn as liquids on the surface, often producing vapors that sustain rapid flames. This is why they’re classified as Class Bravo fires. They’re not ordinary combustibles like wood or paper (that’s Class Alpha), not electrical fires (Class Charlie), and not metal fires (Class Delta), which involve different materials and suppression approaches. In practice, hydrocarbon fires are typically fought with foam or dry chemical agents that blanket or chemically inhibit the fuel, rather than relying solely on water, which can spread the burning liquid.