During the incipient stage, a fire is classified as:

During the incipient stage, a fire is classified as fuel-limited due to the limited availability of combustible materials and the relatively small size of the flames. This stage is characterized by the initial phase of combustion, where the fire has not yet spread significantly and is still manageable. In this stage, the fire primarily depends on the amount of fuel available for it to grow.

The incipient stage allows a fire to be controlled easily, often requiring minimal intervention to extinguish it. This phase is critical because, with the right response, the fire can be prevented from progressing to more dangerous stages. In contrast, fully developed, growth-limited, and ventilation-limited fires indicate more advanced stages of combustion where the potential for dangerous conditions increases significantly, making them more challenging to manage. The focus during the incipient stage is on quick action to remove the fuel source, thereby stopping the fire in its tracks.