The most commonly known flammable liquid is gasoline. It has a flash point of about -50° F (-65° C). The ignition temperature is about 495° E (232° C), a comparatively low figure.
Burning gasoline has a temperature above 1500° E (945° C). Therefore, it can heat objects in the fire area above its ignition temperature. To prevent reignition after extinguishment, the agent should be applied for sufficient time to allow hot objects in the fire area to cool below the ignition temperature of the gasoline.
The flammable range of gasoline is only 1.3% to 6%. Gasoline vapors are heavier than air. They tend to flow downhill and downwind from liquid gasoline, making it possible for explosive mixtures to collect – in low points such as pipe trenches or terrain depressions.
If the amount of oxygen in a given atmosphere is reduced from its normal 21 per cent to 14 per cent, by diluting with carbon dioxide, most petroleum products cannot burn. As a result, a gasoline fire can be “suffocated” by diluting the atmosphere with an inert gas.
It is dangerous to use water in a solid stream on a gasoline fire because it may spatter the fuel or raise its level in a container so it overflows.
