Fire Control Research Articles

Knowledge Mapping for Fire Risk Assessment: A Scientometric Analysis Based on VOSviewer and CiteSpace

Fire risk assessment is a crucial step in effective fire control, playing an important role in reducing fire losses. It has remained a significant topic in the field of fire safety. To explore the research hotspots and frontier trends in fire risk assessment and to understand its macroscopic development trajectory, a sample of 1596 papers from 1976 to 2023, extracted from the Web of Science (WoS) database, was utilized to create a knowledge map. The study employed bibliometric methods, visual analysis, and content analysis to uncover the research pulse and hotspots in the field, offering insights into its future development. The findings indicate that research in fire risk assessment has demonstrated continuous growth over the past 50 years. China and the United States are the dominant research forces in the field, while India and Australia show potential as new drivers for development. Expert groups have formed in this field, with intra-institutional cooperation being the primary focus, while inter-institutional collaboration remains limited. The research outcomes exhibit multidisciplinary crossovers, exerting a significant impact on various disciplinary domains. The research hotspots primarily revolve around investigating fire and explosion accidents, assessing the vulnerability of fire subjects, and identifying potential fire hazards. The application of artificial intelligence technology is identified as a pivotal tool for future development. However, to achieve substantial progress, it is important to enhance the importance accorded to fire risk assessment, foster multinational and cross-institutional cooperation, and prioritize research innovation.

The Effect of Fire on Multiple Tree Species in the Eastern Deciduous Forest

Fire is a disturbance that serves to maintain the diverse mosaic of vegetation in the Eastern Deciduous Forest. However, our ability to reconstruct fire occurrence from hardwood tree scars still lags far behind our expertise in reconstructing fire history from conifers in the western United States. This study examines the fidelity of fire scaring in multiple tree species in the Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana, which is located in the central hardwood region of the Eastern Deciduous Forest. All 15 species, except for red oak, showed evidence of past fires, and most samples recorded multiple fire events. No fire scars were recorded in the latewood of the samples. Most of the fires scars occurred in the earlywood (May) suggesting the dormant season fires are likely associated with fires in March to April before the growing season begins. No synchronous fires were recorded across all sites, but fires occurred in 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, and 1988 across multiple sites. This suggests that these were larger spreading fires. Establishment pulses were documented in association with fire events in 1981, 1984, and 1995, suggesting that fire may benefit the establishment or root sprouting of some hardwood species. Fourteen of the fifteen species that we sampled preserved fire scars, suggesting that the diverse suite of species in the Eastern Deciduous Forest is a viable sampling pool for examining fire history across this forest type.

Construction processes and techniques in traditional Birgi houses: a typical Ottoman settlement

ABSTRACT The historic town of Birgi is a historic settlement within İzmir, Turkey, included in the UNESCO Tentative List of World Heritage Sites in 2012. Traditional Birgi houses, dated to the second half of the 18th and the beginning of the 20th century, are one of the best-representative and best-preserved examples of the hımış houses – the most common housing typology of the Ottoman Period. These hybrid structures include a masonry ground floor and timber frame upper floors as their primary load-bearing systems, with details shaped in line with the regional material availability and the performance of these materials, as well as technical know-how and the local experience of major historic fires and earthquakes. In this study, authentic construction techniques used in the West Anatolian Ottoman houses and information about the construction processes are presented through Birgi's traditional houses. For this aim, a visual examination and documentation of various hımış sub-typologies representative of different construction periods are conducted. The differences in construction details are evaluated in light of the predominant architectural styles and technological possibilities of their construction periods. In addition, the strengths and weaknesses of authentic construction techniques and common construction errors are discussed.

AI in Healthcare Quality: Advances and Ethical Concerns

The discovery of fire by early humans initiated a technological revolution, laying the foundation for advancements that have dramatically transformed society. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of this evolution, driving innovation across multiple sectors. From early mechanical tools to modern AI-driven systems, technology has become more autonomous and efficient. In healthcare, AI plays a pivotal role in diagnostics, precision medicine, and telemedicine, enabling real-time patient monitoring and personalized treatment plans. Its ability to process vast amounts of data significantly enhances disease detection and management, particularly through advanced imaging techniques and predictive analytics. However, these benefits are accompanied by important ethical concerns, especially regarding patient privacy, safety, and the responsible use of AI systems. As AI continues integrating into healthcare and other industries, it is crucial to balance technological progress with ethical safeguards to ensure accountable and equitable applications that advance public health and societal well-being.

First assessment of changes in dust sources in the black forest during the Holocene: case study at Wildseemoor

A 600 cm peat sequence was extracted from the ombrotrophic peat bog Wildseemoor in the northern Black Forest, covering the last ca. 10,000 years thus allowing for identification of potential changes in dust input during the Holocene. Such information is critical to the understanding of past environmental change at the local to supra-regional scale and helps with interpreting, in particular, fire history and its links to both climate change and anthropogenic impacts. Dust composition change was investigated using X-ray fluorescence core scanning (XRF-CS) to establish bulk chemical composition of lithogenic input to the peatland, using element signatures, and in particular the ratios of Ca/Ti and Ti/Zr. Two main different sources of dust could be differentiated, a local and a distal (long-distance) dust source, which show variations through time. Distal dust input is elevated during the early Holocene (ca. 8,800 - 8,300 cal BP), as well as around 5,000 cal BP, 3,000 cal BP, 2,300 cal BP and the last ca. 200 years. Distal dust might originate from remobilized loess deposits in the Upper Rhine Graben or, periodically, more distant sources such as the Sahara or the Massif Central. Local dust input roughly correlates to peaks in charcoal influx after ca. 3,850 cal BP, potentially recording phases of increased anthropogenic influence in the surroundings of Wildseemoor. Additional research in nearby bogs (from the Black Forest and the Vosges), as well as more precise geochemical fingerprinting of the different dust sources, is needed to explore the regional extent and significance of Holocene environmental changes recorded at Wildseemoor.

Engineering Challenges and Opportunities in the Object 490 and 490A Tank Prototypes

The Object 490 was a Soviet tank design project of the 1980s that produced two prototypes: the conventional Object 490 with a unique dual-track system, and the radical Object 490A featuring an externally mounted main gun and an unmanned turret. Both incorporated advanced features like automated fire control and composite armor. Despite its innovative approach, the project was abandoned due to insurmountable technical challenges, particularly in integrating the unmanned turret and complex fire control systems. This paper explores the Object 490 project, analyzing its design features, potential advantages, and the reasons for its failure. By examining this ambitious but ultimately unrealized design, we can gain insights into the complexities and limitations of revolutionary tank development.

The mid- and Late Holocene history of forest fires in Central Evenkia inferred from macrocharcoal analysis

The paper presents the reconstruction of the Mid- and Late Holocene frequency of forest fires in the Lower Tunguska River basin in the vicinity of the settlement of Tura (central Evenkia) revealed from plant macro remains and macroscopic charcoal analysis of peat cores from two peatlands. The results of analysis showed similar patterns of charcoal accumulation rates in peat deposits from both bogs during the Holocene and their significant temporal variability. According to the data obtained, the stages of increased frequency and intensity of fires in Central Evenkiya occurred during the periods 7800-6500 cal years BP and 3800-2900 cal years BP and were influenced by climatic factors. The period of increasing fire activity, which has been observed from the first half of the XVII century to the present day, was caused by a combination of anthropogenic and natural factors. A decline in the charcoal accumulation rate in peatlands and an increase in the length of fire return intervals were characteristic for periods 6500-3800 cal years BP and 2900-600 cal years BP. Perhaps the cooling climate created unfavorable conditions for the occurrence and spread of forest fires.

Александр Николаевич Швырков у истоков поискового движения и создания музея истории пожарной охраны в Академии ГПС МЧС России

The article shows the contribution of Alexander Nikolaevich Shvyrkov, a fourth-generation firefighter, to the formation and development of the search movement, as well as to the creation of the museum of fire service history at State Fire Academy of EMERCOM of Russia. The material contains photographs from the archive of the Department of Fire Safety in Technological Processes and the family archive of the fire dynasty of the Shvyrkovs. The article is addressed to students of State Fire Academy of EMERCOM of Russia. The material can be used in extracurricular activities for educational purposes.

Early Forest Fire Detection and Control System

Early Forest Fire Detection and Control System

Monitoring studies of the occurrence of fire blight pathogen in Kazakhstan and identification of antagonistic microorganisms suppressing its development.

The paper presents data on phytosanitary monitoring of garden cenoses for fire blight in the Turkestan, Zhambyl, and Almaty regions of Kazakhstan. The purpose of this study is to assess the phytosanitary situation in various regions of Kazakhstan, determine the extent of fire blight spread, and isolate and identify the fire blight pathogen. During the study, methods such as hypersensitivity, pathogenicity, and fluorescent simplification-based specific hybridization polymerase chain reaction (FLASH-PCR) were used. It was found that in all the surveyed areas, disease foci were identified. For the first time, the fire blight pathogen was detected on fruit crops such as plum, peach, cherry plum, and quince, as well as on wild apricots. 274 plant samples were collected from which microorganisms were isolated. Isolates related to the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora were identified by methods of hypersensitivity, pathogenicity, and FLASH-PCR diagnostics. Of the 156 isolates of microorganisms isolated from apple tree plant samples, 21 inhibited the in vitro growth of E. amylovora to varying degrees. Isolates 16.2 and 19.2 with maximum antagonistic activity were selected, where the pathogen growth inhibition zones were 52.2 ± 2.58 mm and 45.6 ± 0.55 mm, respectively. Based on the obtained sequence of nucleotides of the 16SpRNA gene site, it was found that the selected isolates with high antagonistic activity belonged to the Pseudomonas genus. In the future, based on these isolates, a new biological product for fire blight control can be created and adapted to the natural and climatic conditions of Kazakhstan.

Review and application of engineering design models for building fire smoke movement and control

Review and application of engineering design models for building fire smoke movement and control

Attractiveness of wood-frame multi-storey buildings in seven European countries: consumer segmentation and the effect of fire safety information

Wooden construction has the potential to contribute to climate change mitigation, and it is being promoted by the EU and national governments. However, several market barriers to wood-frame multi-storey building (WMSB), have been recognized, including obstacles in national building codes, lack of expertise in wood construction, and material durability concerns among end-users as well as other technical aspects. Given that increased wood construction is a target, understanding consumer perceptions of WMSB is crucial. In this study, consumer attitudes on WMSB were studied through consumer segmentation relying on demographic attributes. Further, the effect of providing fire safety information was explored. To this end, an online survey was deployed in seven European countries, with 7007 responses. The results show that in general, the awareness and attractiveness of WMSB is low amongst European consumers. Out of all respondents, 46% had not heard of WMSB before and only 12% stated that they are interested in the subject and know something about it, showing a clear lack of information and awareness within the general public. Significant differences in the perceived attractiveness of wooden multi-storey construction between consumer segments exist, with younger consumers and urban consumers being more attracted to living in WMSB than older or rural consumers. Fire safety was an important attribute affecting overall attractiveness, yet updated information regarding fire safety and control in WMSBs had a small but statistically significant negative effect on the perceived attractiveness. The results indicate that targeted marketing efforts are needed to inform potential consumers of WMSB and aspects related to fire safety effectively.

Reproducible protocol for the extraction and semi-automated quantification of macroscopic charcoal from soil.

Charcoal fragments preserved in soils or sediments are used by scientists to reconstruct fire histories and thereby improve our understanding of past vegetation dynamics and human-plant relationships. Unfortunately, most published methods for charcoal extraction and analysis are incompletely described and are therefore difficult to reproduce. To improve the standardization and replicability of soil charcoal analysis, as well as to facilitate accessibility for non-experts, we developed a detailed, step-by-step protocol to isolate charcoal from soil and to efficiently count and measure charcoal fragments. The extraction phase involves the chemical soaking and wet sieving of soils followed by the collection of macrocharcoal (≥500 μm). The analysis phase is performed semi-automatically using the open-source software ImageJ to count and measure the area, length, and width of fragments from light stereo microscope images by means of threshold segmentation. The protocol yields clean charcoal fragments, a set of charcoal images, and datasets containing total charcoal mass, number of fragments, and morphological measurements (area, length, and width) for each sample. We tested and validated the protocol on 339 soil samples from tropical savannas and forests in eastern lowland Bolivia. We hope that this protocol will be a valuable resource for scientists in a variety of fields who currently study, or wish to study, macroscopic charcoal in soils as a proxy for past fires.

The importance of habitat type and historical fire regimes in arthropod community response following large-scale wildfires.

Novel wildfire regimes are rapidly changing global ecosystems and pose significant challenges for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management. In this study, we used DNA metabarcoding to assess the response of arthropod pollinator communities to large-scale wildfires across diverse habitat types in California. We sampled six reserves within the University of California Natural Reserve System, each of which was partially burned in the 2020 Lightning Complex wildfires in California. Using yellow pan traps to target pollinators, we collected arthropods from burned and unburned sites across multiple habitat types including oak woodland, redwood, scrub, chamise, grassland, forest, and serpentine habitats. We found no significant difference in alpha diversity values between burned and unburned sites; instead, seasonal variations played a significant role in arthropod community dynamics, with the emergence of plant species in Spring promoting increased pollinator richness at all sites. When comparing all sites, we found that burn status was not a significant grouping factor. Instead, compositional differences were largely explained by geographic differences, with distinct communities within each reserve. Within a geographic area, the response of arthropods to fire was dependent on habitat type. While communities in grasslands and oak woodlands exhibited recovery following burn, scrublands experienced substantial changes in community composition. Our study highlights the importance of examining community responses to wildfires across broad spatial scales and diverse habitat types. By understanding the nuanced dynamics of arthropod communities in response to fire disturbances, we can develop effective conservation strategies that promote resilience and maintain biodiversity in the face of increasing wildfire frequency and severity driven by climate change.

Thermal phenomena and size effects of Mg powder in combustion process.

Magnesium is a combustible metal that poses various safety risks, including fires and explosions. However, there are limited safety measures available to prevent and respond to potential fires and explosion incidents in the metal industry. In this study, the combustion process of Mg fires was closely examined using infrared thermal imaging, focusing on the effects of Mg powder size. For the experiment, Mg powder was burned by increasing the temperature to approximately 967.4 K using an ignition unit and controller equipped with a tungsten heater. Moreover, combustion velocity measurement experiments for Mg particle sizes of 75, 100, and 150 μm were conducted using the combustion velocity measurement device presented in the NFPA 484 standard. On combustion of Mg, flames are observed; smoke is emitted as demonstrated by thermal and flow visualization experiments. The combustion velocity measurement experiment results demonstrated that the greater the slope value (combustion velocity) for the combustion length over time, the faster is the combustion velocity, with the 75 μm particle size having the fastest combustion velocity. The results of this experiment can be utilized as references for Mg fire control design and to gain a better understanding of the scope of smoke and fire hazard investigation measures.

Control and Adjustment of Artillery Subunits' Fire Using Short-Range Air Reconnaissance Systems

Control and Adjustment of Artillery Subunits' Fire Using Short-Range Air Reconnaissance Systems

Design and Development of IoT based Smart System for Monitoring Laboratory Environment

This study was conducted to address the critical issue of the poor safety management system in laboratories, through the design of a smart laboratory management facility based on the Internet of Things (IoT). In this design, three major safety parameters-fire, temperature and carbon (ii) oxide (CO) levels were monitored by appropriate sensors, which transmit data to the microcontroller (Arduino) for interpretation. The Arduino microprocessor processed the data received from the sensor(s), makes decisions based on the predefined algorithms. Based on the decisions made by the Arduino, the microprocessor sends instructions to a relay module triggered the necessary actions to be taken by the output hardware devices-fire extinguisher, air conditioning system and exhaust fan unit. The temperature monitoring system was designed at an operational range of 18°C to 25°C, the CO control unit was designed to maintain the CO concentration inside the laboratory at a level not exceeding 4 parts per million (ppm), as approved by the World Health Organization; while fire control unit was designed to detect the presence of smoke of naked fire inside the building. In the event that any of these parameters breach safety thresholds, the smart structure's safety system will trigger the appropriate responses. The designed structure was built in compliance with international safety standards. Results obtained through the testing and evaluation of the system revealed that the smart system had overall performance efficiency of 91% and false output of 9%. The system's failure rate of 9% can be reduced by employing advanced sensors and adjusting the delay rate. The findings of this study revealed that IoT and automation can successfully monitor and protect the working environment inside laboratories.

Design and Implementation of Intelligent Fire Monitoring System Based on Multi-Sensor Data Fusion

Abstract To reduce the losses caused by fire, this paper proposes an intelligent fire monitoring system based on multi-sensor data fusion. Through the design of the temperature, smoke and flame sensors, based on the weighted least squares WLS and improved fuzzy support degree of similar sensors and dissimilar sensors data fusion, respectively, in the ZigBee wireless network based on the design of the fire remote monitoring and control alarm for monitoring, and add the local storage and emergency module. In addition, whether the router nodes work on the ZigBee wireless network during the fire test depends on multi-sensor data fusion. The test shows that the node communication distance is extended and can reach the acceptable requirements in the range of 70m, the highest probability of fire occurrence is 0.92, the lowest probability is 0.14, the overall probability of occurrence is in the range of 0.4 to 0.6, and the error between the predicted value of the probability of occurrence of the fire and the expected value is within ±0.05.

Advancement of microcontroller-based fire suppression system for enhanced safety in sugar cane plantations

The occurrence of accidental fires in sugarcane plantations is a significant cause of pre-harvest loss in the sugar industry, particularly during arid seasons. This paper introduces the conceptualization and implementation of a microcontroller-based prototype system for mitigating accidental fires in sugar cane plantations. The proposed system encompasses two distinct subsystems: the field monitoring and the fire control unit. The Field monitoring system, deployed within the sugarcane field, assumes responsibility for fire detection via smoke detectors, infrared detectors, as well as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide detectors, which are accompanied by a fire extinguishing mechanism. Conversely, the fire control unit, installed at the fire brigade office, establishes wireless communication with the field monitoring system through the global system for mobile communication (GSM) network. Upon detecting a fire, the microcontroller promptly dispatches a fire alert to the fire brigade while simultaneously activating water pumps to suppress the fire until the brigade arrives to fully extinguish it. Furthermore, the fire control unit triggers the fire alarm and exhibits the global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the burning field to facilitate precise localization. The proposed system uses the Arduino-Mega and Arduino- Leonardo microcontroller platforms and is programmed using the C++ programming language in Visual-Studio-Code software and the Arduino integrated development environment. Designed prototype can detect fires and alert the fire brigade in less than twenty seconds and activate water pumps in less than one second after fire detection.

AN ANALYSIS OF FOREST AND LAND FIRE EXTINGUISHING IN INDONESIA INFLUENCED BY THE EL NINO PHENOMENON USING THE WATER BOMBING METHOD

Land and peat forest fires in Indonesia are a serious environmental problem, especially in the years that experience the El Nino phenomenon. El Nino causes dry and hot conditions that trigger fires. One of the methods used to extinguish fires is water bombing, which is spraying water from the air using planes or helicopters. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effectiveness and efficiency of the water bombing method in dealing with land and peat forest fires in Indonesia. This study uses secondary data from various sources, such as government reports, research institutions, mass media, and non-governmental organizations. The data is then analyzed using descriptive, comparative, and evaluative methods. The results of the study show that the water bombing method has some advantages, such as fast, flexible, and able to reach areas that are difficult to access. However, this method also has some disadvantages, such as expensive, risky, and less effective in extinguishing fire in the peat soil. Therefore, this study recommends that the water bombing method should be used as one part of a comprehensive fire control strategy, which involves prevention, detection, and recovery. This study also suggests the need for improved coordination, regulation, and innovation in the use of the water bombing method in Indonesia.