What function do smoke blankets serve during a fire?

Smoke blankets are primarily designed to limit the spread of smoke during a fire. When a fire occurs, the smoke produced can quickly fill up spaces, reducing visibility and creating toxic conditions for anyone in or near the affected area. By using smoke blankets, which are often made of materials that can contain and control smoke, the spread is restricted. This not only helps in maintaining visibility for evacuation or firefighting efforts but also minimizes exposure to harmful smoke inhalation.

The other functions listed, such as absorbing water or extinguishing fires, do not accurately reflect the primary purpose of smoke blankets. Creating fire breaks is also a different concept, typically involving physical barriers to stop the spread of fire itself, rather than just addressing the smoke produced by a fire.