Are fire extinguishers effective on large-scale fires?

The effectiveness of fire extinguishers is largely dependent on the size and stage of the fire. Fire extinguishers are specifically designed to handle small, incipient stage fires, which can include materials that have just ignited but are not yet fully involved. This is critical because larger fires produce more heat and generate a greater amount of fuel, making them more challenging to control.

The primary purpose of a fire extinguisher is to allow individuals to safely put out a fire before it has a chance to spread or grow. Once a fire has moved beyond its initial stages and has become larger or more complex, it typically requires the intervention of trained firefighters and specialized equipment to effectively manage and extinguish it. Thus, while extinguishers can be incredibly effective in the right circumstances, they are not designed nor intended for large-scale fires, which pose significant risks and challenges beyond the capabilities of handheld devices.