What exactly is fire science?
They don't teach it at the local University!

• It is the theoretical counterpart of fire protection engineering. The normal practice of fire protection engineering is addressed to the design of sprinkler systems, detection systems, smoke venting, etc. Fire Protection Engineers also often do risk management studies.
  
  
• Fire scientists help develop codes and standards. So, they possess a knowledge of not only how to use codes and standards but why they are what they are.
  
  
• Fire scientists use state-of-the-art theories and mathematical methods to predict how a fire could have happened. They often have to develop novel techniquies for analysis.
  
  

Fire Science generally encompasses aspects of:

• Chemistry and Physics, including heat transfer, combustion reactions, fluid mechanics (gases, smoke and water)
  
  
• Materials Science
  
  
• Forensic Science
  
  
• Quantification of fire ignition, spread and growth
  
  
• Human reaction to fire and fire effluents (toxicology, behavior studies)
  
  
• Computer Science and mathematical modeling
  
  
• Empirical, regulatory and historic aspects of fire testing