Fire Ratings Explained
The letters A, B, E, D & F are types of fires.
These letters classify a fire mostly by the type of fuel that is keeping the fire going.
Where an extinguisher is classified with more than one letter, it means it is effective on more than one type of fire, eg 1A:10B:E extinguisher, could be used on a Type A fire, or a B fire, or a type E fire (it is often referred to as an ABE extinguisher). The number in front of the letter is used to compare the performance of an extinguisher as outlined in AS/NZS 1850
For class A fires the numbers range from 1 to 10, for class B they are from 2 to 80, and for class F, they go from 1 to 4. With the exception of the water extinguisher, all the other extinguishers are capable of putting out more than one type of fire. Use the table below to choose the fire extinguisher that is best suited to your needs.
Fire Types
|
Class
|
Description | Typical Examples |
|
A
|
Wood, Paper, Plastics | wood, textiles, rubber, plastics, and paper. Offices, warehouses |
|
B
|
Flammable Liquids | petrol, oil, paint, petrol stations, cars |
|
D
|
Combustible Metals | alkali metals like lithium and potassium |
|
E
|
Electrical | Switchboards, computers, toasters, fuse boxes, live electrical appliances |
|
F
|
Cooking Oils/Fats | Butter, deep fryers, kitchens, takeaways, and restaurants |
Class A Fires (Wood, Paper, Plastics…)
| Rating Requirements | FireFX Rating | Extinguisher Description |
| 1A | 1A:AE | MRI Sapphire |
| 1A | 1A:10B:E | 0.75kg DCP ABE |
| 1A | 1A:20B:E | 1kg DCP ABE |
| 1A | 1A:3F | 2L Wet Chemical |
| 2A | 2A:30B:E | 1.5kg DCP ABE |
| 2A | 2A:30B:E | 2kg DCP ABE |
| 2A | 2A | 4L F-500 Lithium-Ion Battery |
| 3A | 3A:10B | 9L F-500 Lithium-Ion Battery |
| 3A | 3A:20B | 9L Foam |
| 3A | 3A:4F | 7L Wet Chemical |
| 3A | 3A:20B | 9L Fluorine Free |
| 3A | 3A | 9L Air Water |
| 3A | 3A:40B:E | 2.5kg DCP ABE |
| 4A | 4A:60B:E | 4.5kg DCP ABE |
| 4A | 4A:80B:E | 4.5kg DCP ABE Hi-Performance |
| 6A | 6A:80B:E | 9kg DCP ABE |
Class B Fires (Flammable Liquids)
| Rating Requirements | FireFX Rating | Extinguisher Description |
| 2B | 2B:E | 2kg CO2 |
| 5B | 5B:E | 3.5kg CO2 |
| 5B | 5B:E | 5kg CO2 |
| 10B | 1A:10B:E | 0.75kg DCP ABE |
| 10B | 3A:10B:E | 9L F-500 Lithium-Ion Battery |
| 20B | 1A:20B:E | 1kg DCP ABE |
| 20B | 3A:20B | 9L Foam |
| 20B | 3A:20B | 9L Fluorine Free |
| 30B | 2A:30B:E | 1.5kg DCP ABE |
| 30B | 2A:30B:E | 2kg DCP ABE |
| 30B | 30B:E | 2.5kg DCP BE |
| 40B | 3A:40B:E | 2.5kg DCP ABE |
| 40B | 40B:E | 4.5kg DCP BE |
| 60B | 4A:60B:E | 4.5kg DCP ABE |
| 80B | 4A:80B:E | 4.5kg DCP ABE Hi-Performance |
| 80B | 80B:E | 9kg DCP BE |
| 80B | 6A:80B:E | 9kg DCP ABE |
Class D Fires (Combustible Metals – especially alkali metals like lithium and potassium)
| Rating Requirements | FireFX Rating | Extinguisher Description |
| NA | NA | Chubb Lith-X class |
| NA | NA | Amerex 570 |
| NA | NA | Amerex 571 |
Class F Fires (Cooking Oils and Fats)
| Rating Requirements | FireFX Rating | Extinguisher Description |
| 3F | 1A:3F | 2L Wet Chemical |
| 4F | 3A:4F | 7L Wet Chemical |