What must be completed before a fire can be considered fully extinguished?

Before a fire can be officially considered fully extinguished, overhaul is a critical step that must be completed. During the overhaul process, firefighters thoroughly inspect the area to ensure that all smoldering materials are identified and extinguished. This is essential for two primary reasons: it helps to prevent rekindling of the fire and ensures the safety of the premises and any occupants.

Overhaul involves moving debris, checking hidden spaces where embers might lurk, and often using thermal imaging or other tools to confirm that no hotspots remain. By completing this step, firefighters can confidently declare that the fire has been adequately addressed and that the risk of a resurgence is minimized.

While other options like loss control, secondary search, and the suppression operation are all important components of fire response, they do not specifically address the finality of extinguishing the fire itself in the same way that overhaul does. Thus, completing the overhaul process is essential for confirming that a fire is no longer a threat.