What is the term for the rate at which flames travel over surfaces?

The term for the rate at which flames travel over surfaces is "flame spread." This concept is crucial in fire safety because it helps assess how quickly a fire can propagate in a given environment, particularly in buildings with various materials that can affect the spread. Understanding flame spread is essential for designing effective fire prevention measures, selecting appropriate construction materials, and developing fire safety protocols. It is a critical factor in fire risk assessments and helps inform building codes and safety regulations that aim to minimize the dangers associated with rapid fire growth.

Heat transfer, while relevant to the overall fire dynamics, refers to how heat energy moves through materials rather than the rate of flame movement. Fire gas involves the by-products generated during combustion, and smoke formation relates to the particles and gases created in a fire, but neither directly addresses the speed at which flames travel over surfaces. Thus, the focus on flame spread is vital for effective fire safety management in high-rise buildings and other structures.