Are Tires Flammable? What Firefighters Know About Tire Fires

Tire fires are among the most difficult fires a department can respond to. If you’ve ever seen a tire dump burning on the news, you know they produce enormous black smoke columns visible for miles and burn for hours or even days. Yes, tires are extremely flammable, and tire fires are a serious public safety and environmental hazard.

Tires are highly flammable. Rubber compounds, especially synthetic rubber like styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) used in modern tires, have a combustion temperature around 400–600°F (204–316°C) and produce intense, sustained heat once burning. The oils and carbon black infused into rubber tires add significant fuel load.

Why Tire Fires Are So Difficult to Fight

The challenge with tire fires isn’t ignition; it’s suppression. Tires insulate the interior rubber from water and foam, making it nearly impossible to extinguish from the outside. Water evaporates before it can penetrate to the burning core. Standard fire suppression methods are largely ineffective, which is why many tire fires are allowed to burn out under controlled conditions rather than being actively suppressed.

A burning tire reaches temperatures exceeding 2,000°F (1,093°C) at the core. At these temperatures, the steel belts inside passenger tires begin to oxidize as well. The resulting fire produces petroleum based runoff, which is toxic liquid that can contaminate groundwater if it reaches soil, along with heavy smoke containing benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other carcinogens.

What Causes Tire Fires?

Common causes include:

• Tire dumps and scrap yards with large accumulations of old tires: lightning strikes, arson, and spontaneous combustion from heat buildup can all ignite large piles
• Overheated brakes or wheel bearings on vehicles, especially trucks
• Dragging tires (flat tires driven on) generating friction heat
• Electrical fires in electric vehicles that spread to tires

Single Tire Fires at Home

A single car tire is unlikely to ignite from casual exposure to heat, but it can catch fire from a sustained flame, a vehicle fire, or an overheated brake assembly. If a single tire catches fire in a residential setting, evacuate, call 911, and don’t attempt to extinguish it yourself. The smoke alone poses serious health risks.

For a related topic on rubber materials, read our article on whether rubber is flammable.