Materials or conditions that could create a fire, or make a fire bigger and more intense are called fire hazards. Some materials may catch fire easily if a flame or spark is present, while some conditions may make it easier for fire to spread.

Fire needs three things to happen:

1. A fuel source
2. A spark to ignite
3. Oxygen

When a material slows the spread of flame, it is called a "fire retardant". In the manufacturing process, some materials have chemical fire retardants added to their processing. Some materials are naturally resistant to flame spread by their material properties. Fire retardant materials in construction include:

• masonry and concrete;
• gypsum drywall;
• some fibre insulation types.

In a building, wherever there are heating appliances or electrical equipment and wires, materials surrounding these areas must be resistant to heat and fire. Structural separations or "fire blocks" are incorporated into most buildings as part of building code regulation. For example, in the walls between garage areas and living spaces, or in the separation wall between row house units.

FIRE SAFETY

Flammable materials should be marked with warning labels and handled according to safety guidelines set out by the manufacturer. For anything that does not have a label, you can protect yourself and your workers by following some general fire safety rules:

• Keep flammable materials safely stored in a lockable fire proof container that is clearly marked with fire hazard warnings;
  
• Keep fire extinguishers in obvious locations around your worksite or shop;
  
• Keep worksites clean and free of airborne dust as much as possible;
  
• Where metal cutting or grinding must happen, ensure that surrounding areas are clear of flammable materials and install proper barriers to limit sparks;
  
• Ensure properly ventilated areas for the application of paints and solvents;
  
• Enforce no smoking rules on your worksite.
  

The National Fire Code of Canada 2015 (NFC), published by NRC and developed by the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes, sets out the technical provisions regulating activities related to the construction, use or demolition of buildings and facilities, the condition of specific elements of buildings and facilities, and the design or construction of specific elements of facilities related to certain hazards as well as the protection measures for the current or intended use of buildings.