This attic and basement fires presentation supports firefighters and officers who respond to structure fires. Chief Ed Hartin delivered this program at the 2026 Washington State Firefighters Association Annual Fire School & Conference in Wenatchee, Washington.
The presentation uses a scientific approach to explain attic and basement fire problems. It connects fire dynamics, building construction, ventilation, fuel loads, flow path, and tactical decision-making. Firefighters must understand what tactics to perform. They must also understand why those tactics work.
Key topics include attic construction, roof systems, ceiling construction, insulation, eave assemblies, and attic ventilation. The presentation also addresses basement access, floor collapse hazards, fire extension, smoke movement, heat release rate, oxygen consumption, and ventilation-limited fire behavior.
The program draws on UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute research. This research helps explain attic fires, basement fires, ventilation, suppression tactics, and the modern residential fire environment. These findings help firefighters connect fireground observations with safer tactical choices.
Attic and basement fires present hidden hazards. Firefighters and officers must anticipate fire spread, structural instability, flow path, and access problems before committing crews. Effective tactics depend on reading the building, recognizing fire behavior indicators, coordinating ventilation and water application, and matching strategy to conditions
Download the PDF presentation to review the key concepts from Scientific Approach to Attic and Basement Fires. For more fire service training and consulting resources, visit the Command Competence website. To build tactical decision-making skill, explore the 10-Minute Training Overview and browse related scenarios in the 10-Minute Training Library, where drills can be filtered for attic fires, basement fires, and other structure fire topics.