Reducing the Risk of Fire on Your Farm - Ontario Ministry of ...

REDUCING THE RISK OF FIRE ON YOUR FARMVentilation openings in naturally ventilated farm buildings present a challenge for designers looking tomaximize a building’s fire safety characteristics. These buildings have large openings in <strong>the</strong> sidewalls to allow<strong>the</strong> required air flow into <strong>the</strong> barn, providing a comfortable environment for livestock during warm wea<strong>the</strong>rconditions. During a fire, <strong>the</strong>se large openings perform <strong>the</strong> same function, allowing large volumes <strong>of</strong> air to enter<strong>the</strong> building and provide oxygen to feed <strong>the</strong> fire. These unrestricted wall openings also present challenges wheretwo buildings meet, providing a location for a fire to “jump” from one building to <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r.Proper location <strong>of</strong> fire separations in <strong>the</strong>se buildings is critical to prevent fire spread. Construct <strong>the</strong> wallimmediately adjacent to <strong>the</strong> fire separation as a solid wall without ventilation openings, to help stop a fire fromjumping <strong>the</strong> fire separation. Ano<strong>the</strong>r way to avoid this problem is to locate fire separations in hallways betweenbuildings at a sufficient distance from o<strong>the</strong>r openings (Figures 3.9 and 3.10).Figure 3.9. Unacceptable location <strong>of</strong> fire separation doors. This door location is unacceptablesince a fire can easily jump past it.22