Journal Description
Fire
Fire
is an international, peer-reviewed, open access journal about the science, policy, and technology of fires and how they interact with communities and the environment, published monthly online by MDPI. The Global Wildland Fire Network is affiliated with Fire.
- Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- High Visibility: indexed within Scopus, SCIE (Web of Science), AGRIS, PubAg, and other databases.
- Journal Rank: JCR - Q1 (Forestry) / CiteScore - Q2 (Forestry)
- Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision is provided to authors approximately 15 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 2.8 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the second half of 2023).
- Recognition of Reviewers: reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in any MDPI journal, in appreciation of the work done.
- Paper Types: in addition to regular articles we accept Perspectives, Case Studies, Data Descriptors, Technical Notes, and Monographs.
Impact Factor:
3.2 (2022);
5-Year Impact Factor:
4.0 (2022)
Latest Articles
Probabilistic Forecasting of Lightning Strikes over the Continental USA and Alaska: Model Development and Verification
Fire 2024, 7(4), 111; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7040111 - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
Lightning is responsible for the most area annually burned by wildfires in the extratropical region of the Northern Hemisphere. Hence, predicting the occurrence of wildfires requires reliable forecasting of the chance of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes during storms. Here, we describe the development and
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Lightning is responsible for the most area annually burned by wildfires in the extratropical region of the Northern Hemisphere. Hence, predicting the occurrence of wildfires requires reliable forecasting of the chance of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes during storms. Here, we describe the development and verification of a probabilistic lightning-strike algorithm running on a uniform 20 km grid over the continental USA and Alaska. This is the first and only high-resolution lightning forecasting model for North America derived from 29-year-long data records. The algorithm consists of a large set of regional logistic equations parameterized on the long-term data records of observed lightning strikes and meteorological reanalysis fields from NOAA. Principal Component Analysis was employed to extract 13 principal components from a list of 611 potential predictors. Our analysis revealed that the occurrence of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes primarily depends on three factors: the temperature and geopotential heights across vertical pressure levels, the amount of low-level atmospheric moisture, and wind vectors. These physical variables isolate the conditions that are favorable for the development of thunderstorms and impact the vertical separation of electric charges in the lower troposphere during storms, which causes the voltage potential between the ground and the cloud deck to increase to a level that triggers electrical discharges. The results from a forecast verification using independent data showed excellent model performance, thus making this algorithm suitable for incorporation into models designed to forecast the chance of wildfire ignitions.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Probabilistic Risk Assessments in Fire Protection Engineering)
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A Study on the Maximum Temperature of a Ceiling Jet of Asymmetric Dual Strong Plumes in a Naturally Ventilated Tunnel
by
Shenghao Zhang and Na Meng
Fire 2024, 7(4), 110; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7040110 - 26 Mar 2024
Abstract
This paper explores the temperature distribution (TD) and maximum temperature (MT) below the ceiling induced by the ceiling jet of an asymmetric dual fire sources in a naturally ventilated tunnel. Considering strong plumes, this study investigates the effects of fire size and spacing
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This paper explores the temperature distribution (TD) and maximum temperature (MT) below the ceiling induced by the ceiling jet of an asymmetric dual fire sources in a naturally ventilated tunnel. Considering strong plumes, this study investigates the effects of fire size and spacing of asymmetric dual fire sources on TD and MT. With the same power of fire source, when the size of one of the fire sources increases, the corresponding maximum temperature beneath ceiling decreases. Additionally, the temperature peak below the ceiling shifts from one to two, and the peak temperature of the larger fire source is lower compared to that of smaller one. When the fire sources distance increases, the maximum temperature initially decreases and then increases. Beyond a certain distance, the maximum temperature no longer changes with increasing distance. In this study, we investigated the effect of fire source size and spacing on the MT of the tunnel ceiling for asymmetric dual fire sources. A new model for predicting the MT underneath the tunnel ceiling was developed, taking into account the factors as fire spacing and fire size. The model is able to make effective predictions of the simulation results.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Tunnel Fire Research)
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A Combination of Human Activity and Climate Drives Forest Fire Occurrence in Central Europe: The Case of the Czech Republic
by
Roman Berčák, Jaroslav Holuša, Jiří Trombik, Karolina Resnerová and Tomáš Hlásny
Fire 2024, 7(4), 109; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7040109 - 26 Mar 2024
Abstract
Central Europe is not a typical wildfire region; however, an increasingly warm and dry climate and model-based projections indicate that the number of forest fires are increasing. This study provides new insights into the drivers of forest fire occurrence in the Czech Republic,
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Central Europe is not a typical wildfire region; however, an increasingly warm and dry climate and model-based projections indicate that the number of forest fires are increasing. This study provides new insights into the drivers of forest fire occurrence in the Czech Republic, during the period 2006 to 2015, by focusing on climate, land cover, and human activity factors. The average annual number of forest fires during the study period was 728, with a median burned area of 0.01 ha. Forest fire incidence showed distinct spring (April) and summer (July to August) peaks, with median burned areas of 0.04 ha and 0.005 ha, respectively. Relationships between the predictors (climate data, forest-related data, socioeconomic data, and landscape-context data) and the number of forest fires in individual municipality districts were analyzed using Generalized Additive Models (GAM) on three time scales (annually, monthly, and during the summer season). The constructed GAMs explained 48.7 and 53.8% of forest fire variability when fire occurrence was analyzed on a monthly scale and during the summer season, respectively. On an annual scale, the models explained 71.4% of the observed forest fire variability. The number of forest fires was related to the number of residents and overnight tourists in the area. The effect of climate was manifested on monthly and summer season scales only, with warmer and drier conditions associated with higher forest fire frequency. A higher proportion of conifers and the length of the wildland–urban interface were also positively associated with forest fire occurrence. Forest fire occurrence was influenced by a combination of climatic, forest-related, and social activity factors. The effect of climate was most pronounced on a monthly scale, corresponding with the presence of two distinct seasonal peaks of forest fire occurrence. The significant effect of factors related to human activity suggests that measures to increase public awareness about fire risk and targeted activity regulation are essential in controlling the risk of fire occurrence in Central Europe. An increasing frequency of fire-conducive weather, forest structure transformations due to excessive tree mortality, and changing patterns of human activity on the landscape require permanent monitoring and assessment of possible shifts in forest fire risk.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Patterns, Drivers, and Multiscale Impacts of Wildland Fires)
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Evaluation of Available Safety Egress Time (ASET) in Performance-Based Design (PBD) Using CFAST
by
Hyo-Yeon Jang and Cheol-Hong Hwang
Fire 2024, 7(4), 108; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7040108 - 25 Mar 2024
Abstract
In South Korea, the need to link fire and evacuation simulations to compare the available safety egress time (ASET) and required safety egress time (RSET) in real time when implementing performance-based design in buildings is increasing. Accordingly, the Consolidated Model of Fire Growth
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In South Korea, the need to link fire and evacuation simulations to compare the available safety egress time (ASET) and required safety egress time (RSET) in real time when implementing performance-based design in buildings is increasing. Accordingly, the Consolidated Model of Fire Growth and Smoke Transport (CFAST) has been discussed as an alternative to the fire dynamics simulator, which requires high computational costs, sufficient experience in fire dynamics numerical calculations, and various input parameters and faces limitations in integration with evacuation simulations. A method for establishing a reasonable computational domain to predict the activation times of smoke and heat detectors has been proposed. This study examined the validity of using CFAST to predict factors relevant to the ASET evaluation. The results showed that CFAST, which solved empirical correlations based on heat release rates, predicted high gas temperatures similarly. Moreover, the applicability of the visibility distance calculation method using smoke concentration outputs from CFAST was examined. The results suggest that despite the limitations of the zone model, CFAST can produce reasonable ASET results. These results are expected to enhance the usability of CFAST in terms of understanding general fire engineering technology and simple fire dynamics trends.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Performance-Based Design in Structural Fire Engineering, Volume II)
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Prediction of Coal Spontaneous Combustion Hazard Grades Based on Fuzzy Clustered Case-Based Reasoning
by
Qiuyan Pei, Zhichao Jia, Jia Liu, Yi Wang, Junhui Wang and Yanqi Zhang
Fire 2024, 7(4), 107; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7040107 - 24 Mar 2024
Abstract
Accurate prediction of the coal spontaneous combustion hazard grades is of great significance to ensure the safe production of coal mines. However, traditional coal temperature prediction models have low accuracy and do not predict the coal spontaneous combustion hazard grades. In order to
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Accurate prediction of the coal spontaneous combustion hazard grades is of great significance to ensure the safe production of coal mines. However, traditional coal temperature prediction models have low accuracy and do not predict the coal spontaneous combustion hazard grades. In order to accurately predict coal spontaneous combustion hazard grades, a prediction model of coal spontaneous combustion based on principal component analysis (PCA), case-based reasoning (CBR), fuzzy clustering (FM), and the snake optimization (SO) algorithm was proposed in this manuscript. Firstly, based on the change rule of the concentration of signature gases in the process of coal warming, a new method of classifying the risk of spontaneous combustion of coal was established. Secondly, MeanRadius-SMOTE was adopted to balance the data structure. The weights of the prediction indicators were calculated through PCA to enhance the prediction precision of the CBR model. Then, by employing FM in the case base, the computational cost of CBR was reduced and its computational efficiency was improved. The SO algorithm was used to determine the hyperparameters in the PCA-FM-CBR model. In addition, multiple comparative experiments were conducted to verify the superiority of the model proposed in this manuscript. The results indicated that SO-PCA-FM-CBR possesses good prediction performance and also improves computational efficiency. Finally, the authors of this manuscript adopted the Random Balance Designs—Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (RBD-FAST) to explain the output of the model and analyzed the global importance of input variables. The results demonstrated that CO is the most important variable affecting the coal spontaneous combustion hazard grades.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanism of Coal Spontaneous Combustion in Goaf and Mine Fire Prevention)
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Open AccessArticle
Upgrading Carthamus by HTC: Improvement of Combustion Properties
by
José Manuel Díaz-Rasero, Beatriz Ledesma, María Alonso and Silvia Román
Fire 2024, 7(4), 106; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7040106 - 22 Mar 2024
Abstract
This study investigated the fuel potential and combustion behavior of hydrochars derived from a unique precursor: Carthamus pomace. Initially, the hydrothermal carbonization process of this novel feedstock was examined across various temperature ranges (180–240 °C) and durations (15–180 min). The impact of these
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This study investigated the fuel potential and combustion behavior of hydrochars derived from a unique precursor: Carthamus pomace. Initially, the hydrothermal carbonization process of this novel feedstock was examined across various temperature ranges (180–240 °C) and durations (15–180 min). The impact of these processing conditions was analyzed in terms of degradation mechanisms and their correlation with the resulting properties of the hydrochars (HCs) produced. Then, the combustion performance of these materials was studied by means of thermogravimetry, and the differences in reactivity and activation energy were analyzed and associated with preparation processes. Finally, the most promising HTC parameters were identified and a thermoeconomic study on the use of selected HCs on a thermal plant devoted to the production of electricity was evaluated including energy savings associated with the implementation of heat exchangers using the heat of the flue gases to partially supply the energy needs associated with HTC.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Upgrading of Biomass Resources for Subsequent Combustion Use)
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Investigating the Influence of Flue Gas Induced by Coal Spontaneous Combustion on Methane Explosion Risk
by
Sijia Hu, Yanjun Li, Chuanjie Zhu, Baiquan Lin, Qingzhao Li, Baolin Li and Zichao Huang
Fire 2024, 7(4), 105; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7040105 - 22 Mar 2024
Abstract
During the process of coal spontaneous combustion (CSC), a plethora of combustible gases alongside inert gases, such as CO2, are copiously generated. However, prior investigations have regrettably overlooked the pivotal influence of inert gas production on the propensity for methane explosions
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During the process of coal spontaneous combustion (CSC), a plethora of combustible gases alongside inert gases, such as CO2, are copiously generated. However, prior investigations have regrettably overlooked the pivotal influence of inert gas production on the propensity for methane explosions during CSC. To investigate the impact of the flue gas environment generated by CSC, containing both combustible and inert gases, on the risk of methane explosion, a high-temperature programmed heating test system for CSC was employed to analyze the generation pattern of flue gas. It was found that CO, CO2, and CH4 were continuously generated in large quantities during the process of CSC, which are the main components of CSC flue gas. The effect of the concentration and component ratio (CCO2/CCO) of the flue gas on the methane explosion limit was tested. It was found that the CSC flue gas led to a decrease in the methane explosion limit, and that the explosion limit range was facilitated at 0 < CCO2/CCO < 0.543 and suppressed at CCO2/CCO > 0.543. As the temperature of CSC increases, the risk of methane explosion is initially suppressed. When the coal temperature exceeds 330~410 °C, the explosion risk rapidly expands.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fire/Explosion Risk Assessment and Loss Prevention of Hazardous Materials, Mines and Natural Gas)
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Fire Detection in Urban Areas Using Multimodal Data and Federated Learning
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Ashutosh Sharma, Rajeev Kumar, Isha Kansal, Renu Popli, Vikas Khullar, Jyoti Verma and Sunil Kumar
Fire 2024, 7(4), 104; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7040104 - 22 Mar 2024
Abstract
Fire chemical sensing for indoor detection of fire plays an essential role because it can detect chemical volatiles before smoke particles, providing a faster and more reliable method for early fire detection. A thermal imaging camera and seven distinct fire-detecting sensors were used
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Fire chemical sensing for indoor detection of fire plays an essential role because it can detect chemical volatiles before smoke particles, providing a faster and more reliable method for early fire detection. A thermal imaging camera and seven distinct fire-detecting sensors were used simultaneously to acquire the multimodal fire data that is the subject of this paper. The low-cost sensors typically have lower sensitivity and reliability, making it impossible for them to detect fire at greater distances. To go beyond the limitation of using solely sensors for identifying fire, the multimodal dataset is collected using a thermal camera that can detect temperature changes. The proposed pipeline uses image data from thermal cameras to train convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and their many versions. The training of sensors data (from fire sensors) uses bidirectional long-short memory (BiLSTM-Dense) and dense and long-short memory (LSTM-DenseDenseNet201), and the merging of both datasets demonstrates the performance of multimodal data. Researchers and system developers can use the dataset to create and hone cutting-edge artificial intelligence models and systems. Initial evaluation of the image dataset has shown densenet201 as the best approach with the highest validation parameters (0.99, 0.99, 0.99, and 0.08), i.e., Accuracy, Precision, Recall, and Loss, respectively. However, the sensors dataset has also shown the highest parameters with the BILSTM-Dense approach (0.95, 0.95, 0.95, 0.14). In a multimodal data approach, image and sensors deployed with a multimodal algorithm (densenet201 for image data and Bi LSTM- Dense for Sensors Data) has shown other parameters (1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.06). This work demonstrates that, in comparison to the conventional deep learning approach, the federated learning (FL) approach performs privacy-protected fire leakage classification without significantly sacrificing accuracy and other validation parameters.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Industrial Fire and Urban Fire Research)
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Exploring Tree Density Increases after Fire Exclusion in the Northern Front Range and Great Plains, Colorado, USA
by
Brice B. Hanberry, Jacob M. Seidel and Phillip DeLeon
Fire 2024, 7(4), 103; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7040103 - 22 Mar 2024
Abstract
Since Euro-American settlement and associated fire exclusion, grasslands and open forests have converted to forests throughout the United States. Contributing to the weight of evidence, we determined if forestation also occurred in forests and grasslands of Colorado. Our study extent encompassed landscapes of
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Since Euro-American settlement and associated fire exclusion, grasslands and open forests have converted to forests throughout the United States. Contributing to the weight of evidence, we determined if forestation also occurred in forests and grasslands of Colorado. Our study extent encompassed landscapes of the 0.5 million ha Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in the northern Front Range (eastern side) of the southern Rocky Mountains and the 1 million ha Weld County, which contains Pawnee National Grassland, in the Great Plains grasslands. We quantified tree composition, cover, and densities from historical (years 1863 to 1886) tree surveys, current surveys (2002 to 2011), and land cover (2016) to identify departures. In the Arapaho and Roosevelt, historical lack of tree presence and overall low tree densities suggested an open landscape, due to about 70% of 7134 survey points without two trees within 60 m. The treed landscape, which was not continuously forested, had density estimates of about 153 trees/ha. In contrast, the current landscape was 68% forested with high tree densities; fire-dependent pines decreased relative to subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) increases. In Weld County, seven trees were surveyed historically, whereas currently, woody cover totaled 2555 ha. Uniquely applying historical surveys at landscape scales, we documented an open landscape in the northern Front Range, unlike previous research, and rare tree presence in the relatively understudied grasslands of Colorado. Forestation corresponded with changes in U.S. grasslands and forests following Euro-American settlement and associated fire exclusion.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Fires on Forest Ecosystems)
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Performance Evaluation of Cable Shaft Fireproof Sealing System in High-Rise Buildings: A Comparative Test Method
by
Bizhen Zhang, Shengwen Shu, Zhicong Zheng, Bo Qu, Xin Li, Xingyao Xiang and Shuai Xia
Fire 2024, 7(3), 102; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7030102 - 21 Mar 2024
Abstract
The effectiveness of fireproof sealing systems in preventing the spread of fire in high-rise building cable shafts relies on the properties of various sealing materials and the construction process. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation is necessary. The authors of this paper propose a comparative
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The effectiveness of fireproof sealing systems in preventing the spread of fire in high-rise building cable shafts relies on the properties of various sealing materials and the construction process. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation is necessary. The authors of this paper propose a comparative test method based on an entity test platform for a performance evaluation of cable shaft fireproof sealing systems in high-rise buildings. The test platform measures changes in temperature, humidity, and smoke mass during fire tests to compare the performance of four sets of fireproof sealing systems in terms of thermal insulation, smoke sealing capacity, and overall integrity. In addition, a fire dynamics simulation (FDS) of fireproof sealing systems was carried out on the entity test platform, and the sealing failure process in the case of cracking in the fireproof sealing system was revealed. The simulation results for the temperature trends in the lower space align with the fire test results. Furthermore, as the gap size increases, the diffusion of smoke and flame accelerates. Consequently, the performance of cable shaft fireproof sealing systems depends not only on the sealing material but also on the construction process.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fire Prevention and Control for Power Grids)
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An Experimental Analysis of a Nuclear-Grade Cable Based on Fire Combustion Characteristics and Pyrolysis Behavior
by
Qiang Shi, Jiaxu Zuo, Wei Song and Fang Jing
Fire 2024, 7(3), 101; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7030101 - 21 Mar 2024
Abstract
Nuclear power fire protection is an important part of nuclear safety, and strengthening fire protection technology research is essential for improving nuclear safety and fire protection. The operating platform inside a containment structure is one important element in fire risk evaluation in nuclear
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Nuclear power fire protection is an important part of nuclear safety, and strengthening fire protection technology research is essential for improving nuclear safety and fire protection. The operating platform inside a containment structure is one important element in fire risk evaluation in nuclear power plants. In this paper, a combustible nuclear-grade cable in a fire scenario was firstly selected as the research object, and then the nuclear-grade cable was separately subjected to a combustion test as well as a thermogravimetric test in order to obtain the relevant thermal parameters, which provide more accurate data support for the establishment of a cable fire development and spread model. The nuclear-grade cable material data obtained from the test were compared with a civil PVC cable in order to conduct a specific analysis of the fire risk of nuclear-grade cables. This study shows that the effects of different heating rates and heating atmospheres on the thermal decomposition behavior of cable materials are meaningful and helpful in understanding whether the materials will undergo combustion processes at high temperatures and whether fire spread will occur.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Industrial Fire and Urban Fire Research)
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Effect of Different Time Step Sizes on Pedestrian Evacuation Time under Emergencies Such as Fires Using an Extended Cellular Automata Model
by
Hongpeng Qiu, Xuanwen Liang, Qian Chen and Eric Wai Ming Lee
Fire 2024, 7(3), 100; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7030100 - 21 Mar 2024
Abstract
The cellular automata (CA) model has been a meaningful way to study pedestrian evacuation during emergencies, such as fires, for many years. Although the time step used in the CA model is one of the most essential elements, there is a lack of
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The cellular automata (CA) model has been a meaningful way to study pedestrian evacuation during emergencies, such as fires, for many years. Although the time step used in the CA model is one of the most essential elements, there is a lack of research on its impact on evacuation time. In this paper, we set different time step sizes in an extended cellular automaton model and discuss the effect of time step size on the overall evacuation time under different emergency types and levels. For a fixed step time mode, the larger the time step, the longer the evacuation time. In each time step size, the evacuation time gradually increases with the increase of emergency level, and there is a sharp increase when the time for pedestrians to move one step is exactly an integer multiple of the time step. When there is no friction between pedestrians, the evacuation time at each time step first decreases slightly with the increase of emergency level and then remains unchanged; the larger the time step, when the evacuation time remains unchanged, the lower the emergency level and the greater the evacuation time. For the variable time step model, when the friction between pedestrians approaches infinity, the total evacuation time does not change with the emergency level; when the friction between pedestrians is reduced, the total evacuation time slightly decreases with the increase of the emergency level. The less friction there is, the more significant the reduction. The results of previous actual experiments are also reflected in the simulation at a lower emergency level. The result shows that the time step size significantly impacts the evacuation simulation results of the CA model, and researchers should choose carefully to obtain more realistic simulation results.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ensuring Safety against Fires in Overcrowded Urban Areas)
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Elucidating the Mechanisms of Reactions in Energetic Materials: A Critical Methodology Review
by
Kinga Łysień, Tomasz Jarosz, Karolina Głosz and Agnieszka Stolarczyk
Fire 2024, 7(3), 99; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7030099 - 20 Mar 2024
Abstract
Identification of the mechanism of changes taking place in energetic materials (EMs) is one of the most important issues in the rational design and use of EMs. Due to the extremely rapid nature of these changes, reliable monitoring and real-time analysis are extremely
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Identification of the mechanism of changes taking place in energetic materials (EMs) is one of the most important issues in the rational design and use of EMs. Due to the extremely rapid nature of these changes, reliable monitoring and real-time analysis are extremely difficult. Hence, analysis of the mechanism of such processes often has to rely on adaptation of classical methods or on comparison of the initial and final states of the EM. In this critical review, we focus on current approaches to the methodology of investigating the mechanisms of processes taking place in EMs, showcasing viable experimental strategies, points of uncertainty, and adaptations of classical instrumental methods.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Fires and Explosions: Risk Assessment, Prevention, Detection, Mitigation and Impact)
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Mitigating Coal Spontaneous Combustion Risk within Goaf of Gob-Side Entry Retaining by Roof Cutting: Investigation of Air Leakage Characteristics and Effective Plugging Techniques
by
Zhipeng Zhang, Xiaokun Chen, Zhijin Yu, Hao Sun, Dewei Huang, Jiangle Wu and Hao Zhang
Fire 2024, 7(3), 98; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7030098 - 20 Mar 2024
Abstract
Relative to conventional coal pillar retention mining technology (the 121 mining method), gob-side entry retaining by cutting roof (the 110 mining method), a non-pillar mining technique, efficiently addresses issues like poor coal resource recovery and significant rock burst damage. Nonetheless, the open-type goaf
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Relative to conventional coal pillar retention mining technology (the 121 mining method), gob-side entry retaining by cutting roof (the 110 mining method), a non-pillar mining technique, efficiently addresses issues like poor coal resource recovery and significant rock burst damage. Nonetheless, the open-type goaf created by 110 mining techniques suffers from complex and significant air leaks, increasing the likelihood of coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) within the gob area. To address the CSC problem caused by complex air leakage within the goaf of gob-side entry retaining by roof cutting, this study takes the 17202 working face of Dongrong Second Coal Mine as the object of study. Field tests and simulation calculations are conducted to research the features of air leakage and the distribution of the oxidation zone within the goaf. Subsequently, plugging technology with varying plugging lengths is proposed and implemented. The tests and simulations reveal that the airflow migration within the goaf follows an L-shaped pattern, while air leakage primarily originates from gaps found in the gob-side entry retaining wall. The amount of air leaking into the gob-side entry retaining section is 171.59 m3/min, which represents 7.3% of the overall airflow. The maximum oxidation zone within the goaf ranges from 58.7 m to 151.8 m. After the air leakage is blocked, the airflow migration route within the goaf is transformed into a U-shaped distribution, and the maximum oxidation zone range changes from 42.8 m to 80.7 m. Engineering practice demonstrates that after air leakage plugging, the total air leakage volume within the gob-side entry retaining section significantly reduces to 20.59 m3/min, representing only 0.78% of the total airflow volume. This research provides reference on how to prevent the occurrence of CSC in similar mine goafs.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Simulation, Experiment and Modeling of Coal Fires)
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Open AccessArticle
Preparation and Characterization of Microencapsulated Ammonium Polyphosphate with Polyurethane Shell and Its Flame Retardance in Polypropylene
by
Thuy Tien Nguyen Thanh, Ziya Yusifov, Bence Tóth, Katalin Bocz, Péter Márton, Zoltán Hórvölgyi, György Marosi and Beáta Szolnoki
Fire 2024, 7(3), 97; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7030097 - 19 Mar 2024
Abstract
Polypropylene (PP) shows no charring ability in burning due to the lack of hydroxyl functional groups; thus, the flame retardant system needs an additional amount of carbonizing agent. An ammonium polyphosphate (APP)-based all-in-one intumescent flame-retardant system was prepared by the in situ polymerization
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Polypropylene (PP) shows no charring ability in burning due to the lack of hydroxyl functional groups; thus, the flame retardant system needs an additional amount of carbonizing agent. An ammonium polyphosphate (APP)-based all-in-one intumescent flame-retardant system was prepared by the in situ polymerization of polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI) with a glycerol-based and a glycerol–sorbitol-based polyol of high OH value. The microencapsulated APP with a polyurethane shell (MCAPP) of different polyols was characterized. The MCAPP with speculated improved flame retardant performance was selected for further evaluation in the PP matrix at different loadings by means of standard flammability tests.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments in Flame Retardant Materials)
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Influence of Fires on Desert Plant Communities at the Chernye Zemli (SW Russia)
by
Galya V. Klink, Sergey A. Lednev, Ivan N. Semenkov, Maria V. Konyushkova, Andrey M. Karpachevskiy, Mergen M. Chemidov, Svetlana S. Ulanova, Natal’ya L. Fedorova, Anna V. Sharapova, Sergey A. Bogun and Tatyana V. Koroleva
Fire 2024, 7(3), 96; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7030096 - 17 Mar 2024
Abstract
Understanding the rate and direction of pyrogenic succession in arid ecosystems, which depends on many factors, including the intensity of grazing and the frequency of pyrogenic expo-sure, will allow for more accurate predictions of the consequences of fire onplant communities, and will assist
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Understanding the rate and direction of pyrogenic succession in arid ecosystems, which depends on many factors, including the intensity of grazing and the frequency of pyrogenic expo-sure, will allow for more accurate predictions of the consequences of fire onplant communities, and will assist with better fire management. We studied the vegetation on 55 sites in and near the “Chernye Zemli” Natural Biosphere Reserve that burned at different times or were not affected by fires over the past 35 years and characterized the changes in vegetation cover associated with the impact of wildfire and grazing. The descriptions were grouped into chronological stages according to the time elapsed since the last fire, or into groups according to the frequency of fires. In pairwise comparison of the projective cover of plant species between chronological stages, it correlated most strongly between successive initial stages (for stages 1 and 2, p = 0.003, r = 0.73; for stages 2 and 3, p < 0.001, r = 0.78). Species with an initially higher projective cover were more likely to grow on plots in the first year after the fire: p < 0.03. Plots with rare and frequent fires had similar projective cover of individual species (r = 0.64, p < 0.001). We conclude that in the course of pyrogenic succession, communities are gradually replaced over at least ten years. At the same time, the composition of a plant community at the initial point of succession depends on the prevalence of species in the community before the fire. No fundamental effect of the frequency of fires on the composition of plant communities has been revealed.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Wildfire on the Biota)
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Open AccessArticle
Research on the Inhibitory Effect of Hydrated Phase Change Materials on Spontaneous Combustion in Coal
by
Fanghua Wu, Shiliang Shi, Shuzhen Shao, Yi Lu, Wangxin Gu, Youliang Wang and Xindi Yuan
Fire 2024, 7(3), 95; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7030095 - 17 Mar 2024
Abstract
In order to study the effect of hydrated phase change materials on the suppression of spontaneous combustion in coal, a thermogravimetric experiment and a reaction activation energy analysis experiment were conducted to explore the changes in the combustion characteristic parameters, characteristic temperature, and
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In order to study the effect of hydrated phase change materials on the suppression of spontaneous combustion in coal, a thermogravimetric experiment and a reaction activation energy analysis experiment were conducted to explore the changes in the combustion characteristic parameters, characteristic temperature, and activating energy of gas coal, long-flame coal, meagre coal, and lean coal before and after adding hydrated phase change materials. The research results indicated that hydrated phase change materials increased the characteristic temperature point of the coal samples and had effective inhibitory effects on different stages of the oxidation process. However, the effect was best at low temperatures, as hydrated phase change materials undergo phase change and absorb heat when heated at low temperatures, isolating coal from contact with oxygen. The activating energy increased by 1.138–23.048 KJ·mol−1 and the mass loss was reduced by 1.6%–9.3% after inhibition of the coal samples, indicating that the oxidation rate of the various coal samples was slowed down and, thus, spontaneous combustion can be suppressed through the use of hydrated phase change materials. At the same time, this material reduced the combustibility indices of meagre coal and lean coal, as well as the comprehensive combustion indices of long-flame coal and gas coal.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prevention and Control of Mine Fire)
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Open AccessCase Report
Decolonising Fire Science by Reexamining Fire Management across Contested Landscapes: A Workshop Approach
by
Abigail Rose Croker, Adriana E. S. Ford, Yiannis Kountouris, Jayalaxshmi Mistry, Amos Chege Muthiuru, Cathy Smith, Elijah Praise, David Chiawo and Veronica Muniu
Fire 2024, 7(3), 94; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7030094 - 16 Mar 2024
Abstract
In many landscapes worldwide, fire regimes and human–fire interactions were reorganised by colonialism and continue to be shaped by neo-colonial processes. The introduction of fire suppression policies and state-centric property-rights systems across conservation areas and the intentional erasure of Indigenous governance systems and
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In many landscapes worldwide, fire regimes and human–fire interactions were reorganised by colonialism and continue to be shaped by neo-colonial processes. The introduction of fire suppression policies and state-centric property-rights systems across conservation areas and the intentional erasure of Indigenous governance systems and knowledge have served to decouple Indigenous fire-dependent communities from culturally mediated fire regimes and fire-adapted landscapes. This has driven a decline in anthropogenic fires while simultaneously increasing wildfire risk where Indigenous people have been excluded, resulting in widespread social–ecological vulnerabilities. Much contemporary fire research also bears colonial legacies in its epistemological traditions, in the global geographical distribution of research institutions, and the accessibility of research outputs. We report on a two-day workshop titled ‘Fire Management Across Contested Landscapes’ convened concurrently in Nairobi, Kenya, and London, UK. The workshop formed part of a series of workshops on ‘Decolonising Fire Science’ held by the Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires, Environment and Society, UK. The workshop in Nairobi invited diverse Kenyan stakeholders to engage in participatory activities that facilitate knowledge sharing, aiming to establish an inclusive working fire network. Activities included rich pictures, world café discussions, participatory art, and the co-development of a declaration to guide fire management in Kenya. Meanwhile, in London, Leverhulme Wildfires researchers explored participatory research methodologies including rich pictures and participatory video, and developed a declaration to guide more equitable research. There were opportunities throughout the workshop for participants in Nairobi and London to engage in dialogue with one another, sharing their experiences and understandings of complex fire challenges in Kenya and globally.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reimagining the Future of Living and Working with Fire)
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FFYOLO: A Lightweight Forest Fire Detection Model Based on YOLOv8
by
Bensheng Yun, Yanan Zheng, Zhenyu Lin and Tao Li
Fire 2024, 7(3), 93; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7030093 - 16 Mar 2024
Abstract
Forest is an important resource for human survival, and forest fires are a serious threat to forest protection. Therefore, the early detection of fire and smoke is particularly important. Based on the manually set feature extraction method, the detection accuracy of the machine
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Forest is an important resource for human survival, and forest fires are a serious threat to forest protection. Therefore, the early detection of fire and smoke is particularly important. Based on the manually set feature extraction method, the detection accuracy of the machine learning forest fire detection method is limited, and it is unable to deal with complex scenes. Meanwhile, most deep learning methods are difficult to deploy due to high computational costs. To address these issues, this paper proposes a lightweight forest fire detection model based on YOLOv8 (FFYOLO). Firstly, in order to better extract the features of fire and smoke, a channel prior dilatation attention module (CPDA) is proposed. Secondly, the mixed-classification detection head (MCDH), a new detection head, is designed. Furthermore, MPDIoU is introduced to enhance the regression and classification accuracy of the model. Then, in the Neck section, a lightweight GSConv module is applied to reduce parameters while maintaining model accuracy. Finally, the knowledge distillation strategy is used during training stage to enhance the generalization ability of the model and reduce the false detection. Experimental outcomes demonstrate that, in comparison to the original model, FFYOLO realizes an mAP0.5 of 88.8% on a custom forest fire dataset, which is 3.4% better than the original model, with 25.3% lower parameters and 9.3% higher frames per second (FPS).
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent Forest Fire Prediction and Detection)
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Open AccessCommunication
Triggering Pyro-Convection in a High-Resolution Coupled Fire–Atmosphere Simulation
by
Flavio Tiago Couto, Jean-Baptiste Filippi, Roberta Baggio, Cátia Campos and Rui Salgado
Fire 2024, 7(3), 92; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/fire7030092 - 16 Mar 2024
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This study aimed to assess fire–atmosphere interactions using the fully coupled Meso-NH–ForeFire system. We focused on the Pedrógão Grande wildfire (28,914 ha), which occurred in June 2017 and was one of the deadliest and most damaging fires in Portugal’s history. Two simulations (control
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This study aimed to assess fire–atmosphere interactions using the fully coupled Meso-NH–ForeFire system. We focused on the Pedrógão Grande wildfire (28,914 ha), which occurred in June 2017 and was one of the deadliest and most damaging fires in Portugal’s history. Two simulations (control and fully coupled fire–atmosphere) were performed for three two-way nested domains configured with horizontal resolutions of 2 km, 0.4 km, and 0.08 km, respectively, in the atmospheric model Meso-NH. Fire propagation was modeled within the innermost domain with ForeFire, which solves the fire front with a 20 m resolution, producing the heat and vapor fluxes which are then injected into the atmospheric model. A simplified homogeneous fuel distribution was used in this case study. The fully coupled experiment helped us to characterize the smoke plume structure and identify two different regimes: (1) a wind-driven regime, with the smoke plume transported horizontally southward and in the lower troposphere, and (2) a plume-dominated regime, in which the simulated smoke plume extended vertically up to upper levels, favoring the formation of a pyro-cloud. The simulations were compared, and the results suggest that the change in the fire regime was caused by an outflow that affected the main fire front. Furthermore, the fully coupled simulation allowed us to explore the change in meteorology caused by an extreme fire, namely through the development of a pyro-cloud that also induced outflows that reached the surface. We show that the Meso-NH–ForeFire system may strongly contribute to an improved understanding of extreme wildfires events and associated weather phenomena.
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