Window ventilation is categorized as what type of ventilation?

Window ventilation is categorized as horizontal ventilation because it involves the movement of smoke and heat laterally across a structure, specifically through openings like windows. When firefighters open a window to allow smoke to escape, they effectively create a pathway for this heat and smoke to exit, which can help improve visibility and conditions inside the building for both victims and firefighters.

In horizontal ventilation, the flow path is primarily lateral, which is key in understanding how it affects the overall conditions within a structure during a fire. This contrasts with vertical ventilation, which involves utilizing the building's height, usually by cutting openings in the roof to allow smoke and heat to rise and exit. Natural ventilation refers to relying on natural forces, such as wind or temperature changes, to facilitate air movement, and inward ventilation does not apply here since it would generally involve air being drawn inside rather than expelled.