Fire Control Research Articles

Fuel traits are important determinants of fire behavior and regime in savannas and, thus, of how fire affects plant communities. However, whether these traits are correlated, predictable and how they are influenced by biotic and abiotic drivers remain to be rigorously evaluated. We hypothesized that, given their overall dependence on grass biomass, fuel traits were mutually correlated (via correlations to grass biomass), change predictably in space and time, and that they influence fire regimes. We sampled 31 plots distributed in five soil classes in a savanna‐dominated landscape in Brazil and measured the following surface fuel traits: fuel height, continuity, bulk density, bed flammability, composition, total load and grass load. We also obtained data on landscape predictors, such as soil clay content, fire history, climate, canopy cover, elevation , and on future (post‐sampling) fire incidence. We used Pearson correlation and principal component analyses to test for associations among fuel traits, and generalized linear model for assessing 1) landscape predictors effects on fuel traits; and 2) fuel trait effects on future fire incidence. We found two leading axes of fuel trait variability. The first axis was positively correlated with fuel height, continuity, total load, bed flammability, grass load and cover. In this axis, flammability increased with time since last fire and clay content and decreased with canopy cover and rainfall seasonality. The second axis was positively correlated with fuel bulk density, continuity, shrub and litter covers, and negatively with fuel bed flammability. In this axis, flammability decreased with canopy cover and clay content. Grass fuel load was the best predictor of future fire incidence. Our results suggest that fuel traits change predictably in space and time and explain variability in fire regimes in savannas. These findings contribute to a better understanding of fire regimes while providing important information for managers and decision makers.

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of wildfires in boreal forests, raising concerns about ecosystem resilience. We investigated the correspondence between fire events and soil erosion events in northern Finland during the Holocene (last 11,000 years). We analysed charcoal particles to reconstruct the local fire histories of two boreal lake catchments. Then, using magnetic susceptibility analysis, we identified sedimentary inputs into the lakes due to soil erosion events. Sediment geochemistry analysis revealed that high-severity fires corresponding with soil erosion events not only affect the organic soil horizons, but also the topmost mineral horizons by leaching aluminium, calcium, nitrogen, silicon and heavy metals into aquatic ecosystems. Because the effects of high-severity fires on soil properties are long-lasting, increased fire severity under climate change in northern Finland could hamper forest resilience in addition to contaminating aquatic ecosystems.

Data halls within data centers are high-risk and high-value facilities. However, ensuring fire safety has proven challenging owing to the performance limitations of gas-suppression systems. In this study, the fire-suppression performance and design validity of a single-interlock pre-action sprinkler system were quantitatively assessed via a fire dynamics simulator (FDS) and SprinkCALC simulations. The FDS analysis revealed that, whereas the gas-suppression system showed limited effectiveness in controlling the HRR and reducing temperature owing to its one-time discharge, the sprinkler system demonstrated a meaningful effect on temperature reduction through its continuous cooling action. However, the control effect on the HRR was minimal, thus indicating that the sprinkler system is limited in verifying its effectiveness for overall fire control. Furthermore, the SprinkCALC analysis confirmed that the pre-action sprinkler system satisfied both the NFPA-required discharge time of within 50 s and the design density criteria. The results of this study suggest the potential applicability of sprinkler systems as a future fire-protection strategy for data centers.

Background Indigenous people used fire in Australia’s deserts over millennia. Colonisation interrupted these practices, but Indigenous and conservation sectors are now restoring desert fire management for cultural, social and biodiversity outcomes. However, evaluating progress is difficult – inter-fire intervals are long and variable – and fire regimes are dominated by extensive fires after above-average rainfall. Aim To determine whether, despite these challenges, a decade of fire management has influenced fire regimes at four large, separated locations (each 1250–7850 km2) in Australia’s spinifex deserts. Methods We used Landsat and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery to create a >20 year fire history (1997–2019) at four locations, then investigated temporal patterns in seven fire regime metrics, whilst accounting for rainfall variation. Results Management caused (1) a change in fire season (more burns in cooler months); (2) a larger number of smaller fires; (3) an increased seral heterogeneity with burnt/unburnt patch sizes decreased, time-since-fire recovery stages more evenly distributed and mature vegetation extent stabilised. These changes occurred despite above-average rainfall in 2010–2011. Conclusions Management can change desert fire regimes, bringing expected cultural and biodiversity benefits. We provide recommendations for further improvement, noting that prescribed burning in remote deserts is operationally challenging, and investment is needed to meet capacity gaps, and knowledge sharing, monitoring, and research priorities.

Abstract. Changes to soil hydraulic properties that reduce infiltration capacity following fire can increase flash flood risks. These risks are exacerbated by rainfall intensification associated with a warming climate. However, the potential effects of climate-change-driven rainfall intensification on postfire floods remain largely unexplored. Using rainfall and runoff observations from a 49.4 km2 watershed in southern Arizona, USA, and a hydrologic model (KINEROS2), we examined the temporal evolution following a historic fire of three crucial hydrologic parameters: soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksp), net capillary drive (Gp), and hydraulic roughness (nc). We explored how the effect of fire on these parameters may influence peak flow under future climate scenarios derived from CMIP6, specifically the medium emissions scenario (SSP2-4.5) and high emissions scenario (SSP5-8.5). Results demonstrate an increase in Ksp from 11 mm h−1 in the first postfire year to 60 mm h−1 in postfire year 3. Gp similarly increased from 19 mm in the first postfire year to 30 mm in the third, while nc was relatively constant. The highest simulated Qp occurred in the first postfire year. Under the SSP2-4.5 scenario, the likelihood of a 100-year flood is projected to be twice as large by the middle of the century relative to its historical magnitude. Simulations further indicate that the maximum expected discharge associated with a postfire flood, as derived from historical data, could be triggered by a 10-year rainstorm under the SSP5-8.5 scenario by the late century. Simulations also demonstrate that rainfall intensification will lead to greater persistence of elevated flood hazards following fire by the late century under both the SSP2-4.5 and the SSP5-8.5 scenarios.

Unexpected failures of avionics equipment critically affect flight safety, operational availability, and maintenance costs. To address these issues, Condition-Based Maintenance Plus (CBM+) has emerged as a strategy to optimize maintenance timing based on equipment condition rather than fixed schedules. However, while aviation research has largely focused on engines and structures, studies on avionics systems remain limited, often relying on simulations. This study proposes a novel data-driven approach to predict avionics equipment failures using actual aircraft operational data. Maneuver-related sequences were analyzed to investigate correlations between flight patterns and equipment faults, and a two-stage framework was developed. In the feature extraction stage, a CNN-LSTM encoder compresses 10 s maneuver sequences into compact yet informative representations. In the fault prediction stage, AI models classify failures of the Fire Control Radar based on these features. Experiments with real flight data validated the effectiveness of the method, showing that the CNN-LSTM encoder preserved essential maneuver information, while the combination of Standard Scaling and Multi-Layer Perceptron achieved the best performance, with a maximum Fault Recall of 98%. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of practical CBM+ implementation for avionics equipment using only flight data, providing a promising solution to improve maintenance efficiency and aviation safety.

Objective: The objective of this study was to quantify and characterize the residual biomass of sugarcane, focusing on fine vegetative fuels, after the first and second cuts in mechanized harvesting areas located in the municipalities of Uberaba and Conquista (MG). Theoretical Framework: The research is based on fire ecology applied to agriculture, considering the role of crop residue as a risk factor for uncontrolled fires in sugarcane fields. The theoretical framework relies on concepts of forest fuels and classification by time lag to ignition, emphasizing the importance of fine fuels in fire propagation. Method: A quantitative and descriptive methodology was adopted, with field data collection, sample weighing, oven drying, and statistical analysis using descriptive statistics and box plots. Residual plant material samples were classified by diameter and analyzed for moisture content and mass. Results and Discussion: The results showed a significant increase in fine fuel load between cuts (from 2.70 to 21.30 t∙ha⁻¹). This factor increases the potential for ignition and fire spread. Research Implications: This study provides data on dry biomass load in Cerrado sugarcane fields, offering technical support for planning fire prevention and control strategies. Originality/Value: The contribution lies in the quantitative approach to crop residue across different cutting cycles, an area still underexplored in the literature.

Historical range of wildfire regime in black pine forests outside actual target of public policies.

Fires enhanced productivity in fire-adapted subtropical pinelands of the Florida Everglades.

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the current research landscape in the field of new energy vehicle (NEV) fires and to explore its knowledge base and emerging trends, bibliometric methods—such as co-occurrence, clustering, and co-citation analyses—were employed to examine the relevant literature. A research knowledge framework was established, encompassing four primary themes: thermal management and performance optimization of power batteries, battery materials and their safety characteristics, thermal runaway (TR) and fire risk assessment, and fire prevention and control strategies. The key research frontiers in this domain could be classified into five categories: mechanisms and propagation of TR, development of high-safety battery materials and flame-retardant technologies, thermal management and thermal safety control, intelligent early warning and fault diagnosis, and fire suppression and firefighting techniques. The focus of research has gradually shifted from passive identification of causes and failure mechanisms to proactive approaches involving thermal control, predictive alerts, and integrated system-level fire safety solutions. As the field advances, increasing complexity and interdisciplinary integration have emerged as defining trends. Future research is expected to benefit from broader cross-disciplinary collaboration. These findings provide a valuable reference for researchers seeking a rapid overview of the evolving landscape of NEV fire-related studies.

Abstract Background Fire can impact ecosystems and species over both short and long timeframes, resulting in pervasive impacts on the structure of avian communities. While recent research has highlighted the strong impact of fire on bird communities in the short term, there remains a need for understanding long-term population processes following fire, particularly in forested landscapes that are burning more frequently than in the past century. We analyzed avian response to fire using point-count data from 1999–2019 within national parks of the Sierra Nevada Inventory & Monitoring Network, combined with high-resolution estimates of burn severity from fires that burned up to 35 years prior to each count. We used a hierarchical Bayesian framework to account for imperfect detection of birds while estimating the potentially divergent effects of fire on population density over time for each of 42 species. Our models integrated time-varying data on habitat characteristics that would otherwise be confounded with fire history, such as canopy cover and height. Results In aggregate, bird population density increased rapidly after fire and remained higher in burned areas for at least 35 years relative to unburned areas. Moderate-severity burns typically resulted in more immediate and enduring positive effects than burns of lower severity. Of 42 bird species analyzed, only 13 showed little response to fire, eight responded positively for less than 20 years, 10 showed responses (nine positive) persisting longer than 20 years, and 11 showed positive responses with little or no sign of attenuation even 35 years after a fire. Responses did not align with broad migratory, nesting or foraging traits. Conclusions A wide variety of birds appeared to benefit—immediately or eventually—from burns at bird point-count stations in two fire-prone parks of the Sierra Nevada. These results offer a rare perspective on long-term avian response to fire and postfire successional processes, in some of the few western forests where effects of fire are relatively unconfounded by anthropogenic habitat loss and resource extraction.

Abstract Wildfires significantly threaten biodiversity, especially in tropical regions like Madagascar, where unique ecosystems face ongoing habitat loss and degradation. This study investigated the effects of forest fires on lemur encounter rates, species richness, and their ability to recolonize burnt areas in Ankarafantsika National Park (ANP), the largest protected dry deciduous forest in northwestern Madagascar. ANP hosts eight lemur species with one diurnal (Propithecus coquereli), two cathemeral (Eulemur mongoz, E. fulvus), and five nocturnal species (Avahi occidentalis, Lepilemur edwardsi, Cheirogaleus medius, Microcebus murinus, and M. ravelobensis). Eighteen sites with varying fire histories (1 to > 35 years post-fire) and adjacent unburnt forest parts were surveyed using diurnal and nocturnal transect surveys. Transects included burnt (700 m) and unburnt (500 m) sections. We used Generalized linear mixed effect models (GLMMs) to assess the effect of fire variables such as time since the last fire, number of fires, intervals between fires, and fire severity on lemur encounter rate and species richness. A full lemur community was observed only in unburnt forests and areas with extended post-fire recovery (≥ 23 years). Frequent fires negatively impacted the encounter rates of E. fulvus and L. edwardsi, while they did not significantly affect the encounter rates of small nocturnal species (C. medius, Microcebus spp.). Lemur species richness was higher in unburnt zones and decreased with an increasing number of fires. These findings reveal the need for long recovery periods for lemur communities post-fire, suggest species-specific fire vulnerabilities, and demonstrate significant faunal impacts of this destructive driver of landscape transformation.

ABSTRACT Spontaneous coal fire seriously affects the normal production of mines. In order to further improve the ability of preventing and controlling coal fire disasters, it is necessary to explore new materials for fast and efficient management of coal fire disasters in the context of carbon peak. This study employed a mechanical stirring method to prepare pure dry water (DW) material, with process parameters determined using the controlled variable method. To enhance the fire suppression capability of DW formed from pure distilled water, modifications were made using high-acyl gellan gum, potassium chloride, magnesium hydroxide, and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate. The physical properties of these four modified DW materials were systematically examined. Experimental results indicated that hydrophobic fumed silica and deionized water at a solid–liquid ratio of 1:12, a dispersion disc speed of 3500 r/min, a dispersion time of 3 minutes (min), and a distance of 1.5 cm between the dispersion disc and the container bottom yielded DW powder particles with favorable dispersibility and high uniformity. Under these process conditions, the flowability of the four modified DW materials, ranked from strongest to weakest, was as follows: potassium chloride DW (K-DW) > high-acyl gellan gum DW (G-DW) > ammonium dihydrogen phosphate DW (NH₄-DW) > magnesium hydroxide DW (Mg-DW). Compared to pure DW, the water loss time was extended by 6 h for G-DW and 3 h for K-DW, while Mg-DW and NH₄-DW exhibited only a 1-h extension in water loss time along with solid particle caking, indicating inferior overall performance. During the cooling phase, G-DW demonstrated the most remarkable cooling performance, with a cooling rate 1.67 times that of DW, 1.14 times that of K-DW, 1.11 times that of NH₄-DW, 1.08 times that of water mist, and 1.71 times that of gel foam. Compared to other fire-extinguishing materials, K-DW and G-DW exhibited heating rate of 0.12°C/s and 0.09°C/s, respectively, during the temperature rebound phase, indicating a significantly less pronounced reheating effect. At 25 min after the application of K-DW and G-DW, the central temperature of the coal body fluctuated around 75°C and 65°C, demonstrating remarkable cooling performance and effective suppression of coal spontaneous combustion hazards.

Abstract. 3D laser scanning technology has significantly transformed the fields of architecture and historic preservation by providing a precise, efficient, and non-invasive method for capturing complex three-dimensional spatial data. This technology facilitates comprehensive documentation of architectural and heritage sites, thereby advancing preservation, restoration, and maintenance efforts. This paper presents four case studies that illustrate the varied applications and efficacy of 3D laser scanning in archival documentation and historical reconstruction: The second-century Roman bath and mosaic at Isthmia, Greece The eighteenth-century Pancha Deval Hindu temples in Kathmandu, Nepal The 1845 cabins at Cane River Creole National Historical Park in Natchitoches, Louisiana The 1903 Galveston Historic Fire Station No. 3 in Galveston, Texas Through these examples, this paper will demonstrate the long-term value of 3D laser scanning in preservation practice. Moreover, the integration of this technology into academic settings enhances experiential learning, allowing students and professionals to engage directly with real-world preservation challenges. By bridging digital innovation with traditional architectural methodologies, 3D laser scanning promotes interdisciplinary collaboration across architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, and related fields.

Equipment for conducting research into the influence of spark ignition energy on the detonation initiation process for a powderless mortar with controlled shot energy is considered. It is shown that successful tests of prototype mortars demonstrated the possibility of launching shells without the use of traditional powder charges, thereby confirming the effectiveness of the developed launch technology. The system is designed for automatic loading and provides the possibility of direct fire. Unlike conventional mortars, the proposed system uses a gas detonation charge to regulate the firing range. Therefore, the range of the shell is controlled not by changing the mortar elevation angle, but by changing the shot energy while maintaining a fixed elevation angle. Replacing the powder powder charge with a combustible gas mixture contributes to the integration of the mortar shot control system into broader fire control systems. This allows you to create a new semi-direct fire mode, which improves the tactical deployment of weapons in combat conditions. To transfer this technology to military production, further research and development of a specialized mortar control system are necessary. The key parameters for controlling the energy of a mortar shot are the initial pressure and volume of the compressed gas charge in the gas detonation chamber. These parameters are influenced by the gas injection conditions, the processes associated with this, and the spark ignition method, for the study of which the equipment considered in the work was developed. The equipment includes a detonation tube with a spark ignition system and a measuring complex. The detonation tube was a steel tube with a wall thickness of 7 mm and an internal diameter of 73 mm. The length of the tube was 430 mm. The tube was hermetically closed from one end. An automobile spark plug and two spark electrodes were placed on the closed side of the tube, which were inserted into the tube. An automobile ignition system was connected to the automobile spark plug. It has been established that the shock wave velocity that can be determined using the equipment is the shock wave velocity V = 2375 m/s, and the pressure value is very close to the detonation wave pressure.

Late Holocene vegetation dynamics, hydrological change, and fire history on the Seward Peninsula, Arctic Alaska

Fire has long been recognized as an important ecological and evolutionary force in plant communities, but its influence on vertebrate community ecology, particularly regarding predator-prey interactions, remains understudied. This study reveals the impact of wildfires on the diet of Podarcis lusitanicus, a lizard species inhabiting a fire-prone region in the Iberian Peninsula. In order to explore diet variability associated with different local burn histories, we evaluated P. lusitanicus diet across three types of sites in Northern Portugal: those had not burned since 2016, those burned in 2016, and those more recently burned in 2022. Podarcis lusitanicus is a generalist arthropod predator with dietary flexibility. Given the turnover of arthropod species after fire, it is expected to find variations in diet caused by different fire histories, especially between unburned and recently burned sites. From DNA metabarcoding of faecal samples, our study revealed that while prey richness remained unaffected by wildfire regime, significant shifts occurred in diet composition between more recently burned and unburned areas. Specifically, we found that differences in diet composition between these two fire regimes were due to the presence of Tapinoma ants and jumping spiders (Salticus scenicus). These prey were present in the diets of lizards occupying unburned areas, while these were absent in areas burned in 2022. Interestingly, diets in unburned areas and areas burned in 2016 showed no significant differences, highlighting the lizards’ ecological flexibility and the habitat’s resilience over time. The ant species T. topitotum was found in dominance in both burned areas, suggesting that this species may be fire tolerant. In addition, families such as Cicadellidae and Noctuidae were found to be more associated with more recently burned areas. The use of DNA metabarcoding in this study was essential to provide a more detailed and accurate view of predator-prey interactions in ecosystems susceptible to fire, and therefore a better understanding of changes in prey consumption in this fire-adapted ecosystem.

PremiseFlammability‐related traits in open savanna plant communities may shift in response to fire frequency (high vs. low) and history (recently vs. fire exclusion). Dead biomass accumulation and moisture content are expected to drive flammability components (combustibility and consumability). We hypothesized that in low fire frequency and fire exclusion areas, dead biomass accumulates, prolonging combustion duration with higher maximum temperatures and biomass consumption. Conversely, greater biomass should enhance combustibility, while higher moisture should dampen it.MethodsIn Cerrado open savannas, we selected areas with high or low fire frequency and areas that were recently burned or excluded from fire for the last 21 years. For grasses, forbs, and shrubs, we measured the following flammability‐related traits: moisture content, dead biomass, burn rate, maximum fire temperature, and burned biomass.ResultsDead biomass remained similar between fire frequencies and histories. Plants burned slowly (~0.5 cm s–1) in areas where fire frequency was low or excluded. In all areas, ca 60% of the plant biomass was consumed by fire. The percentage of initial dead biomass increased the flammability components until 75% dead biomass, but beyond this threshold, burn rate, temperature, and burned biomass declined. Moisture content consistently reduced temperature and amount of biomass burned.ConclusionsAreas with fire excluded had slower fire spread but the amount of plant biomass consumed was not substantially lower. The amount of dead biomass has nonlinear relationships with combustibility and consumability, indicating that areas with more biomass accumulation may have lower flammability. Thus, we need to investigate how flammability‐related traits vary in plant communities under different fire regimes to understand fire behavior and improve management decisions.

Research on fire rescue suppression and control strategies for energy storage power stations based on case analysis

Resolving conservation conflict through fire refugia: Integrating landscape resilience into forest management.