Which exterior fire can expose firefighters to more contaminants and toxic or hazardous materials?

Trash container or rubbish fires present a unique hazard for firefighters due to the diverse range of materials that can be present in such containers. These types of fires often involve a mixture of everyday items, which can include plastics, chemicals, food waste, and other household rubbish. When these materials burn, they can produce a variety of toxic gases and smoke, some of which may be harmful when inhaled or come into contact with skin.

In contrast, while stacked and piled materials or lumberyard fires could also involve hazardous components, they are typically more predictable in terms of what is burning. Lumberyard fires, for example, primarily involve wood, which generally produces less toxic smoke compared to burning synthetic materials found in rubbish fires. Meanwhile, fires in stacked or piled materials may vary based on the specific items, but they often do not present the same level of unknown contaminants as rubbish fires.

The variety and uncertainty of what is burning in trash container fires significantly increase the risks for firefighters, making them more likely to be exposed to hazardous materials. This exposure is crucial for firefighters to understand, as it influences their protective measures and decontamination procedures after engaging with such fires.