What is a risk of uncontrolled ventilation during overhaul?

What is a risk of uncontrolled ventilation during overhaul?

• A. It helps to cool the fire rapidly, reducing damage.
• B. It prevents embers from reigniting.
• C. It can spread heat or embers and worsen the fire or rekindle hidden hotspots.
• D. It has no impact on fire progression.

Answer: (C)

Uncontrolled ventilation during overhaul can feed the fire by increasing oxygen and spreading heat and embers to new areas. When air is introduced into hot compartments or concealed spaces, it can push flames into parts of the structure that were cooling, carry burning embers through vents, and rekindle hidden hotspots behind walls, ceilings, or voids. That makes the fire harder to control and can cause additional damage as heat and flames move to places that were assumed safe.

This is why the risk described is the correct one: ventilation that isn’t carefully managed can worsen the fire, rather than cooling it or preventing reignition. During overhaul, ventilation is typically limited and controlled to locate and extinguish hotspots safely, rather than to fan the flames.