What phenomenon occurs when heat transfers from a burning object to cooler objects?

The phenomenon where heat transfers from a burning object to cooler objects is best described as fire spread. This occurs when the thermal energy generated by the flames increases the temperature of nearby materials, potentially causing them to ignite as they reach their ignition temperature.

Fire spread is a critical concept in fire dynamics, as it highlights how flames can propagate from one material to another, often leading to the rapid expansion of a fire. Understanding fire spread is essential for fire prevention, control strategies, and safety measures, as it emphasizes the need to control not just the flames but also the heat being transferred to adjacent combustible materials.

While heat transfer is a more general term that describes the movement of thermal energy from one object to another, fire spread specifically addresses the context of a burning material igniting additional materials due to this heat transfer. Thus, fire transfer is somewhat vague, and heat differential does not adequately capture the process as it refers more to temperature differences rather than the interaction of materials in fire behavior.