What is a characteristic of a fog stream?

A fog stream is characterized by creating water droplets with a large surface area. This is important because the increased surface area allows for more effective heat absorption when the water droplets come into contact with the heat of the fire. The fine mist created by a fog stream increases the potential for cooling hot surfaces and displacing heat and smoke, which is particularly useful in extinguishing fires efficiently. In addition, the large surface area helps to generate steam, which can further displace oxygen and suppress the fire.

In contrast, a focused jet stream tends to mean larger, more concentrated streams of water that do not provide the same level of cooling or smoke suppression. While fog streams can indeed penetrate and reach deeper into the fire area, the key feature of their effectiveness lies in the properties of the water droplets they create, rather than the depth of penetration or ease of control. These characteristics make fog streams particularly valuable in certain firefighting situations, where efficient heat absorption is critical to fire control.