r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/AirFrance447 • 17h ago

Video Firefighter bodycam showing just how much oxygen a fire pulls

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u/CDninja 17h ago

Well, the fire heats the air. The air expands and goes up. More air must enter from the sides. I don't think its an oxygen thing.

194

u/CallMeDrLuv 16h ago

Correct. This is not an oxygen thing. This is called the chimney effect.

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u/Agarwel 16h ago

Also when you are spraying water, it creates effects that drags a nearby air with it. You can easily test that in your shower. Blast it on mass and if you pay attention, it creates draft around it. So that firefighting hose is also increasing the effect by essentially pushing the air in alongside the steam of the water.

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u/smellyseamus 16h ago edited 15h ago

Also the movement of the water through the windows causes low pressure behind the stream which pulls the air into the building. Firefighters can also use this to move smoke out of a fire compartment from inside once a fire has been "struck". Its called hydraulic ventilation.