During a direct attack, water should be applied until what condition is met?

Water should be applied during a direct attack until all visible flame is extinguished. This is crucial because visible flames indicate ongoing combustion that can lead to the fire reigniting or continuing to spread. By ensuring that all flames are out, firefighters can effectively eliminate the primary threat and reduce the potential for flare-ups.

While cooling the area and dousing embers are important steps in fire control, they are typically considered part of the follow-up after achieving a complete extinguishment of flames. The presence of embers or a warm area can still indicate active heat that may not be immediately extinguished without first addressing all visible fire. Hence, extinguishing all flames is a clear and necessary objective during a direct attack to ensure that the fire is fully controlled and to enhance the safety of both firefighters and anyone in the vicinity.