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An open multi-physics framework for modelling wildland-urban interface fire evacuations

Ronchi, Enrico LU orcid ; Gwynne, Steven M.V. ; Rein, Guillermo ; Intini, Paolo LU and Wadhwani, Rahul (2019) In Safety Science 118. p.868-880
Abstract

Fire evacuations at wildland-urban interfaces (WUI) pose a serious challenge to the emergency services, and are a global issue affecting thousands of communities around the world. This paper presents a multi-physics framework for the simulation of evacuation in WUI wildfire incidents, including three main modelling layers: wildfire, pedestrians, and traffic. Currently, these layers have been mostly modelled in isolation and there is no comprehensive model which accounts for their integration. The key features needed for system integration are identified, namely: consistent level of refinement of each layer (i.e. spatial and temporal scales) and their application (e.g. evacuation planning or emergency response), and complete data... (More)

Fire evacuations at wildland-urban interfaces (WUI) pose a serious challenge to the emergency services, and are a global issue affecting thousands of communities around the world. This paper presents a multi-physics framework for the simulation of evacuation in WUI wildfire incidents, including three main modelling layers: wildfire, pedestrians, and traffic. Currently, these layers have been mostly modelled in isolation and there is no comprehensive model which accounts for their integration. The key features needed for system integration are identified, namely: consistent level of refinement of each layer (i.e. spatial and temporal scales) and their application (e.g. evacuation planning or emergency response), and complete data exchange. Timelines of WUI fire events are analysed using an approach similar to building fire engineering (available vs. required safe egress times for WUI fires, i.e. WASET/WRSET). The proposed framework allows for a paradigm shift from current wildfire risk assessment and mapping tools towards dynamic fire vulnerability mapping. This is the assessment of spatial and temporal vulnerabilities based on the wildfire threat evolution along with variables related to the infrastructure, population and network characteristics. This framework allows for the integration of the three main modelling layers affecting WUI fire evacuation and aims at improving the safety of WUI communities by minimising the consequences of wildfire evacuations.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Decision making, Evacuation, Fire, Modelling, Wildland-urban interface (WUI)
in
Safety Science
volume
118
pages
13 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85067569225
ISSN
0925-7535
DOI
10.1016/j.ssci.2019.06.009
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6191cc8e-b653-4180-a939-a323656007bb
date added to LUP
2019-07-04 12:54:49
date last changed
2022-04-26 02:49:12
@article{6191cc8e-b653-4180-a939-a323656007bb,
  abstract     = {{<p>Fire evacuations at wildland-urban interfaces (WUI) pose a serious challenge to the emergency services, and are a global issue affecting thousands of communities around the world. This paper presents a multi-physics framework for the simulation of evacuation in WUI wildfire incidents, including three main modelling layers: wildfire, pedestrians, and traffic. Currently, these layers have been mostly modelled in isolation and there is no comprehensive model which accounts for their integration. The key features needed for system integration are identified, namely: consistent level of refinement of each layer (i.e. spatial and temporal scales) and their application (e.g. evacuation planning or emergency response), and complete data exchange. Timelines of WUI fire events are analysed using an approach similar to building fire engineering (available vs. required safe egress times for WUI fires, i.e. WASET/WRSET). The proposed framework allows for a paradigm shift from current wildfire risk assessment and mapping tools towards dynamic fire vulnerability mapping. This is the assessment of spatial and temporal vulnerabilities based on the wildfire threat evolution along with variables related to the infrastructure, population and network characteristics. This framework allows for the integration of the three main modelling layers affecting WUI fire evacuation and aims at improving the safety of WUI communities by minimising the consequences of wildfire evacuations.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ronchi, Enrico and Gwynne, Steven M.V. and Rein, Guillermo and Intini, Paolo and Wadhwani, Rahul}},
  issn         = {{0925-7535}},
  keywords     = {{Decision making; Evacuation; Fire; Modelling; Wildland-urban interface (WUI)}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{868--880}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Safety Science}},
  title        = {{An open multi-physics framework for modelling wildland-urban interface fire evacuations}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2019.06.009}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ssci.2019.06.009}},
  volume       = {{118}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}