Burning magnesium or aluminum is classified under which class of fire?

Burning magnesium or aluminum is classified as a Class D fire. This classification specifically pertains to fires involving combustible metals, which behave differently than fires caused by flammable liquids, gases, or ordinary combustibles like paper or wood.

Class D fires require special extinguishing agents due to the unique properties of burning metals. Regular extinguishing methods, such as water or foam, can be ineffective and even dangerous when applied to metal fires, as they can cause the fire to spread or react violently. Instead, firefighting techniques for Class D fires often involve using dry powder agents specifically designed for metal fires, such as sodium chloride or copper powder.

In contrast, Class A fires typically involve ordinary combustible materials, Class B fires involve flammable liquids, and Class C fires involve live electrical equipment. Each of these classes has different characteristics and requires appropriate methods for extinguishment, further highlighting why magnesium and aluminum fires are distinctly categorized under Class D.