Removing smoke and heat from the smoke control zone (buffer zone) between the inner and outer smoke boundaries is known as what?

• A. Active desmoking
• B. Passive ventilation
• C. Ventilation only
• D. Air purge

Answer: (A)

Active desmoking is the use of mechanical ventilation to remove smoke and heat from the buffer zone between the inner and outer smoke boundaries. By employing fans, ducts, and exhausts, you create a controlled flow that pulls smoky air out of that space and toward outlets, while maintaining the proper pressure relationships to keep smoke from spreading to adjacent areas. This approach is faster and more controllable than relying on natural air movement, which is what passive ventilation depends on. Air purge is a broader term that can describe rapid air displacement but does not specifically denote the targeted, mechanically driven removal from the buffer zone, which is the essence of active desmoking.