A foam blanket disrupts which components of the fire tetrahedron?

A foam blanket serves as an effective tool for extinguishing fires by disrupting multiple components of the fire tetrahedron, which includes heat, fuel, oxygen, and the chemical reaction involved in combustion. When foam is deployed, it creates a barrier that smothers the fire.

The foam blanket specifically works by cutting off the fire's supply of oxygen while simultaneously cooling the heat that is necessary for the fire to sustain itself. It envelops the fuel, which prevents additional vapors from mixing with oxygen in the air. As a result, this suppression method effectively interrupts not only the oxygen needed for combustion but also the heat contributing to the fire's intensity, and by obstructing the fuel source, it reduces the fuel available for burning.

Because the foam blanket acts on these three critical elements—oxygen, fuel, and heat—it is accurate to understand that it disrupts the fire tetrahedron comprehensively, making it a highly effective firefighting strategy.