Which type of smoke alarm is best suited for detecting fast-burning fires?

The ionization smoke alarm is especially effective for detecting fast-burning, flaming fires. This type of alarm utilizes a small amount of radioactive material to ionize air in the sensing chamber, allowing it to detect smoke more quickly. Fast-burning fires produce more small particles, which can reach the ionization chamber and trigger the alarm sooner than other types of smoke particles.

In contrast, photoelectric smoke alarms are generally better for detecting smoldering fires due to their sensitivity to larger particles produced in such fires. Dual-sensor smoke alarms combine both technologies and can respond adequately to both fire types but may not be as fast as the ionization alarms in the case of quick-burning fires. Lastly, a heat detector senses changes in temperature rather than smoke and would not be as reliable for early fire detection, especially in fast-burning scenarios.