Hierarchical integrated spatial risk assessment model of fire hazard for the core city areas in India

Abstract

Proliferating fire accidents in the era of rapid Indian urbanisation causes heavy loss of life and property. It is a man-made disaster and has greater scope towards reduction of its risk, hazard and vulnerability. India's core city exhibits the typical character of haphazard development and intricacies of the built-environment having concentration of on-street activities with combustible substances such as flammable goods and commodities that magnifies the existing threat of fire hazard. Such complex spatial identification and its simplification has been demonstrated in this paper for a study area in India. A hierarchical integrated spatial risk assessment is carried out at three levels, i.e., area, unit and substance of fire hazard, to understand the chain of events that transforms a fire accident into catastrophe as spatial risk. Hazard mapping of physical (PVS) and social (SVS) parameters were looped towards spatial integration aided with Geographical Information System (GIS) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) of fire risk assessment. Further, the paper conceptually applies the equation of risk, threat, exposure, vulnerability and coping capacity to visualise the risk of fire hazard. Thus, coping mechanisms such as building safety clearance, approach and accessibility of rescue services, facilities and infrastructure have been featured in this paper. Further, it guides the designing of a Fire Information System (FIS) through a hierarchical integrated spatial risk assessment model of fire hazard.