Since fires from many flammable liquids cannot be controlled with a traditional sprinkler system, foam systems suppress fire by separating the fuel from the air (oxygen). The main fire-fighting agent, Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (AFFF), is based on a combination of fluoro-chemical surfactants, hydrocarbon surfactants, and solvents.

The benefit of these types of agents is that they require very low energy input to produce a high-quality fire-fighting foam. As a result, they can be delivered through a wide variety of systems.