When you see indications of a hot fire, such as darkened windows, but little visible smoke is coming from around closed doors and from around windows, you may be dealing with a fire that is in a(n) _____ phase.

In this context, the scenario described indicates that the fire may be in the decay phase. During the decay phase, the fire has reached its peak and is beginning to burn out. You would typically observe signs like darkened windows, which suggest high heat conditions and possibly smoke damage. However, minimal visible smoke escaping from closed doors and windows indicates that the combustion flame has decreased and ventilation may be limited, leading to reduced smoke output.

Understanding the fire phases is crucial for effective firefighting tactics. The growth phase is characterized by increasing intensity and visible smoke, while the fully developed phase signifies a fully involved fire with significant heat and smoke production. The incipient phase is the very beginning of a fire, before it has intensified or fully developed. Therefore, the characteristics of a fire with darkened windows and little smoke escaping align with behavior typical of the decay phase, making that the correct classification for this scenario.