What does "flammability" indicate in the context of firefighting?

In the context of firefighting, "flammability" refers to the ability of a substance to ignite and sustain combustion. This is a critical concept for firefighters since understanding how easily a material can catch fire and maintain burning aids in assessing fire hazards and developing effective firefighting strategies. Materials with high flammability can ignite quickly and sustain a fire under specific conditions, presenting greater risks in both fire prevention and suppression situations.

On the other hand, the other options touch on relevant but distinct concepts: the potential for explosion relates to specific explosive substances; the ignition temperature is an important physical property informing fire behavior, but does not encompass the full idea of flammability; and the amount of smoke produced is a concern in fire management but does not directly relate to a material's capability to ignite and sustain combustion. Hence, the definition of flammability is best captured by its relationship to ignition and combustion.