What phase follows the growth stage in a fire's lifecycle?

In a fire's lifecycle, the phase that follows the growth stage is the post-flashover phase. During the growth stage, the fire is characterized by an increase in size and intensity as it consumes available fuel and oxygen. Once flashover occurs, which is the point at which the fire transitions and spreads rapidly throughout the space due to the ignition of all combustible materials in the room, the post-flashover phase begins.

In this phase, the fire experiences extremely high temperatures, and the conditions can be quite dynamic, typically leading to a much larger area affected by the fire. This stage is crucial for fire investigators because it represents a period where much of the evidence of fire behavior can be assessed, including the patterns of burning and the types of materials affected.

The other options refer to stages or events in the fire lifecycle that occur before or are processes unrelated to the immediate sequence after the growth stage. Understanding the post-flashover phase helps in recognizing how fire behavior evolves and assessing the potential impacts on the surrounding environment and structures.