Search Results (1,624)

Climate change and wildfire effects have continued to receive great attention in recent times due to the impact they render on the environment and most especially to the field of agriculture. The purpose of this study was to assess the synergistic impacts of climate change and wildfires on agricultural sustainability. This study adopted a cross-sectional survey design based on the quantitative research approach. Data were collected from 340 environmental experts using an online questionnaire. The results showed that extreme weather events such as heavy rains or extreme droughts negatively influence agricultural sustainability in Europe. The results showed that disruptions in ecosystems caused by climate change have a significant positive impact on agricultural sustainability in Europe. Furthermore, forest regeneration after wildfires showed statistically significant positive influence on agricultural sustainability in Europe. The economic impact of fire on crops, cattle, and farms can be estimated. This information can be used to develop and plan agricultural regions near fire-prone areas; choose the best, most cost-effective, and longest-lasting cultivar; and limit fire risk. It is also clear that increased wildfire smoke negatively affects agricultural sustainability. Full article

In this study, a 1/10 reduced-scale model tunnel with one end closed was constructed to investigate maximum temperature profiles beneath the tunnel ceiling during fire events. By varying the heat release rates (HRRs) and tunnel slopes (0%, 2%, 5%, and 6%) and measuring horizontal temperatures longitudinally along the tunnel ceiling, the effects of these parameters were systematically examined. The findings reveal that the distribution of maximum temperatures within a one-end-closed tunnel can be categorized into three distinct regions: far-field, transition, and near-field regions. Notably, milder tunnel slopes correspond to an elevated maximum temperature beneath the ceiling. By employing dimensional analysis, two prediction models were formulated to forecast maximum temperatures beneath the ceiling for fire sources located in the far-field and near-field regions, respectively. These predictive models were validated against experimental data, demonstrating favorable agreement. This study enhances our understanding of the impact of tunnel slope on temperature distribution during fire events in one-end-closed tunnels. Furthermore, the prediction models developed offer practical tools for assessing and mitigating fire risks in such tunnel configurations. Full article

Emergency service facilities play a pivotal role in mitigating the impact of fire disasters in urban areas. This research article delves into the critical aspects of analyzing service coverage for emergency facilities in relation to fire disaster risk in Chiang Rai city—a strategic hub in northern Thailand. Focusing on fire disaster risk merchandise and shops, categorized by the type of hazardous materials they store and sell, this study leverages facility location data obtained through web scraping from Google Maps. Utilizing spatial analysis and Geographic Information Systems (GISs), this research evaluates the reachability of emergency services, assessing travel times and coverage efficiency. The findings reveal significant disparities, particularly within the critical 3 min response window, highlighting the need for strategic improvements. This study offers actionable insights for urban planners and policymakers, advancing the integration of spatial technology in urban disaster management to enhance public safety and resilience. Full article

The northern inland region of Portugal has experienced significant population decline due to the exodus of younger generations and an aging population. This has led to the abandonment of traditional activities in these territories, contributing to territorial abandonment, degradation of local economic conditions, increased social vulnerability, and a heightened risk of rural fires. The presence of communal lands, known as “baldios”, is an important facilitator for implementing actions that revitalize local villages, making them more attractive to the community. Forests, which are abundant in the baldios of northern inland Portugal, have the potential to generate environmental, social, and economic value through carbon sequestration, job creation, population stabilization, and wealth generation in the villages. However, the viability of this asset as a driver for sustainable development depends on the forest management model implemented. This case study aims to demonstrate that different forest management models have varied impacts on sustainability indicators, particularly economic and environmental sustainability. Based on naturally regenerated forests in the Carvalhelhos baldio in the Tâmega Valley region, data were collected to simulate in software four management scenarios, varying the number (0 to 4) and age of thinnings until the final cut. The simulation allowed for the calculation of the following economic indicators: Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Net Present Value (NPV), and Net Profitability Index (NPI), as well as environmental indicators related to carbon capture and accumulation, such as Gross Carbon Accumulation, Net Carbon Accumulation, Carbon accumulated in dead and suppressed trees, and carbon balance per management model. The simulations indicate that, for the studied area, Scenario 2, which involves only one thinning, yielded the highest total wood volume (cubic meters per hectare) over the cycle, making it the most suitable for biomass production. Meanwhile, Scenario 4, with three thinnings, showed the best results for individual volume (cubic meters per tree), making it more suitable for producing higher-value logs. Scenario 5 presented the best economic results and carbon capture. In all simulations, Scenario 1 showed the worst performance in the analyzed indicators. It was found that the indicators varied among the studied crop plans, highlighting that the adoption of a silvicultural regime depends on the forest characteristics, objectives, exploitation conditions, and local population sensitivity to regional priorities. Full article

Spain has one of Europe’s most extraordinary biodiverse environments and a significant risk of fires in its forests. At the same time, rural areas are affected by several challenges, such as desertification, population decrease, and loss of income. Fortunately, some green sparks arise on the horizon. Among them, we use critical enabling technologies for fire prevention and extinction, renewable energy, and resilience solutions by adopting a system of systems approach given by the systems engineering frameworks. We analyse recent Research and Development (R&D) projects focused on fire prevention to detect (1) the key enabling technologies used and (2) engineering practices. A motivational case is presented, which evaluates the potential interest of the mineral water industry sector in applied R&D with key enabling technologies, including the replicability potential and the replicability potential for using the R&D results. After that, the authors initialize an innovative R-ISSUES model to promote early interoperability between energy and environment systems engineering towards the shared mission of designing digital and rural jobs to preserve our biosphere. The model is used to answer specific research questions and detect gaps or potential improvements for the model itself by using the recent scientific literature. Full article

Early detection of cable trench fires by locating the fire source in a timely manner can reduce the risk of fire. However, existing fire warning methods have low accuracy, long calculation times and difficulty coping with sudden fire situations. We established experimental platforms for cable trenches with different structures and combined these with simulation analysis to investigate the relationship between the ignition point position and the temperature distribution at the ceiling. An exponential function for predicting the ignition point position and the maximum temperature rise of tunnels is proposed based on the extreme values of ceiling temperature. The results indicate that the vertical temperature of the ceiling exhibits an exponential function variation pattern. The maximum deviation for identifying the ignition point is 0.098 m, with an average deviation of 0.044 m and an average accuracy of 98.77%. The maximum temperature prediction error for the ceiling is 14 °C, with an average deviation of 12.33 °C and an average accuracy of 98.30%. Compared to traditional fire prediction methods, the method proposed here has higher accuracy and provides a theoretical basis for early prevention and control of cable trench fires. Full article

To improve the safety level of pile foundation construction for offshore wind power, in this study, the risk indicators of pile foundation construction were evaluated using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and comprehensive evaluation methods. The pile foundation construction operation process for offshore wind power mainly includes four phases: preparation for construction, pile sinking, end of construction, and foundation scour protection construction. Pile foundation construction risk indicators are systematically identified as human factors, material factors, management factors, and environmental factors. The most important indicators for pile foundation construction for offshore wind power were evaluated using AHP and comprehensive evaluation methods, which included five indicators: piling equipment, protective equipment, special skills, safety awareness, and emergency management. The four more important indicators are workplace environment, lifting equipment, fire protection systems, and operations. According to the results of our evaluation of the pile foundation construction safety indicators presented herein, corresponding recommendations are made that consider four aspects—human factors, material factors, management factors, and environmental factors. The construction industry should focus on improving the safety measures related to aspects with greater risk indicators. Pile foundation construction for offshore wind power can be evaluated using the method discussed in this paper, allowing industry stakeholders to prioritize and focus on improving safety measures related to aspects with greater risk indicators. Full article

The paper explains how nano exposure is assessed in the construction field and focuses on the production of fire-resistant insulation panels with nanoclay. Utilizing the commercial ANSYS CFX^® software, a preliminary theoretical simulation was conducted on nano exposure in the workplace, which revealed that particle dispersion is primarily driven by diffusion. Panel post-processing through drilling results in the highest inhalation exposure, followed by mixing and grinding activities. Compared to a state of ‘no activity’, each activity resulted in an exposure increase by a factor of min. 1000. An overall assessment suggests that the use of nanoparticles in construction materials may not significantly heighten workers’ exposure to nanopowders when considering particle concentration alone as opposed to using traditional micro-scale materials. However, the issue persists when it comes to blending powders or performing finishing tasks on panels, with concentration levels being significantly higher for drilling, grinding, and mixing powders at 2.4 times above the standard reference value (40,000 particles/cm³); this is unacceptable, even for brief durations. Examination of dermal contact with gloves and masks worn by workers revealed no nanoparticle penetration. Safety measures were proposed for workers based on decision trees to enhance their safety. Ten categories of protection strategies have been devised to combat the impact of nanoparticles, which are tailored to specific technical situations, but they must be modified for various types of nanoparticles despite potential shared health implications. Full article

Timely forecast of atmospheric pollutants fallout due to accidental fires can provide decision-makers with useful information for effective emergency response, for planning environmental monitoring and for conveying essential alerts to the population to minimize health risks. The SAPERI project (Accelerated simulation of accidental releases in the atmosphere on heterogeneous platforms—from its Italian initials) implements a modeling chain to quickly supply evidence about the dispersion of pollutants accidentally released in the atmosphere, even in the early stages of the emergency when full knowledge of the incident details is missing. The SAPERI modeling chain relies on SPRAY-WEB, a Lagrangian particle dispersion model openly shared for research purposes, parallelized on a GPU to take advantage of local or cloud computing resources and interfaced with open meteorological forecasts made available by the Meteo Italian SupercompuTing PoRtAL (MISTRAL) consortium over Italy. The operational model provides a quantitative and qualitative estimate of the impact of the emergency event by means of a maximum ground level concentration and a footprint map. In this work, the SAPERI modeling chain is tested in a real case event that occurred in Beinasco (Torino, Italy) in December 2021, mimicking its use with limited or missing local input data as occurs when an alert message is first issued. An evaluation of the meteorology forecast is carried out by comparing the wind and temperature fields obtained from MISTRAL with observations from weather stations. The concentrations obtained from the dispersion model are then compared with the observations at three air quality monitoring stations impacted by the event. Full article

Wildfires present a major global environmental issue, exacerbated by climate change. The Iranian Northern Zagros Forests, characterized by a Mediterranean climate, are particularly vulnerable to fires during hot, dry summers. This study investigates the impact of climate change on forest fires in these forests from 2006 to 2023. The analysis revealed significant year-to-year fluctuations, with notable fire occurrence in years 2007, 2010, 2021, and 2023. The largest burned area occurred in 2021, covering 2655.66 ha, while 2006 had the smallest burned area of 175.27 ha. Climate variables such as temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed, heat waves, and solar radiation were assessed for their effects on fire behavior. Strong correlations were found between higher average temperatures and larger burned areas, as well as between heat waves and increased fire frequency. Additionally, higher wind speeds were linked to larger burned areas, suggesting that increased wind speeds may enhance fire spread. Multiple linear regression models demonstrated high predictive accuracy, explaining 84% of the variance in burned areas and 69.6% in the variance in fire frequency. These findings document the growing wildfire risk in the Northern Zagros region due to climate change, highlighting the urgent need to integrate scientific research with policies to develop effective wildfire management strategies for sustainable forest management. Full article

The global community is grappling with a significant increase in forest fires’ frequency, size, and intensity, presenting a profound challenge. To complement existing framing literature on forest fires, this paper examines collective frames applied to forest fires in a broader EU context. Employing a content analysis covering 354 EU policy documents—spanning both soft (non-legally binding) and hard (legally binding) policy documents—via the use of Atlas.ti, six collective frames on forest fires are outlined, identifying four as particularly dominant: ‘climate adaptation and resilience’, ‘risk mitigation and protective governance’, ‘agriculture and rural development’, and ‘technocratic perspectives on forest fires’. These frames capture dominant perspectives promoted within specific policy domains, such as energy and agriculture. Despite the diverse approaches to framing forest fires and their varied objectives, a common thread connects the narratives in these documents, namely, the central theme of ‘risk’. Whether it emerges in the context of reporting or as part of a call to action for adopting certain EU measures, the use of risk operates as a narrative device that negatively frames the discourse, consistently employed to call for action. The findings underscore the importance of considering communication strategies surrounding forest fires, particularly in light of their implications for forest governance. Full article

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are synthetic chemicals widely used to reduce the flammability of consumer products, including electronics, textiles, and furniture. Despite their effectiveness in fire prevention, BFRs pose significant environmental and health risks due to their persistence, bioaccumulation, and potential toxicity. This review provides a comprehensive examination of BFRs, focusing on recent advancements in analytical methods for their detection and quantification in environmental and biological samples. The study explored the physicochemical properties that influence BFR distribution and transport in various matrices, including soil, water, air, sediments, and biota. The review also summarizes current knowledge on the occurrence and environmental fate of BFRs, highlighting their mobility and long-range transport. Furthermore, the study discusses the health risks associated with BFR exposure, emphasizing their endocrine-disrupting effects and impact on reproductive and neurological functions. By integrating findings from recent studies, this review aims to enhance the understanding of BFR behavior and inform regulatory strategies to mitigate their adverse effects on human health and the environment. Full article

North American fire insurance and the American Water Works Association (AWWA) recommend that no pipes smaller than 150 mm in diameter are used in water distribution networks, mainly for reasons of fire protection. However, the 150 mm requirement reaches back more than one hundred years, cited by the AWWA at least as far back as 1916. In general, North American fire flow requirements are shown to be conservative compared to other places in the world. We show how pipe cost, water loss, water age, disinfection byproduct formation, contamination risks, and transients can all be improved with 100 mm diameter pipes. Perhaps most compelling is the fact that 100 mm pipes are used widely elsewhere. Perhaps it is time to consider permitting 100 mm pipes as the minimum recommended size for use in North America, especially in modern residential service. Full article

The objectives of this study were (a) to detect zoonotic gastrointestinal pathogens in faecal samples of horses using the FilmArray^® GI Panel and (b) to identify variables potentially associated with their presence. Faecal samples collected from 224 horses obtained during a countrywide study in Greece were tested by means of the BioFire^® FilmArray^® Gastrointestinal (GI) Panel, which uses multiplex-PCR technology for the detection of 22 pathogens. Gastrointestinal pathogens were detected in the faecal samples obtained from 97 horses (43.3%). Zoonotic pathogens were detected more frequently in samples from horses in courtyard housing (56.0%) than in samples from horses in other housing types (39.7%) (p = 0.040). The most frequently detected zoonotic pathogens were enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (19.2% of horses) and Shiga-like toxin-producing E. coli stx1/stx2 (13.8%). During multivariable analysis, two variables emerged as significant predictors for the outcome ‘detection of at least one zoonotic pathogen in the faecal sample from an animal’: (a) the decreasing age of horses (p = 0.0001) and (b) the presence of livestock at the same premises as the horses (p = 0.013). As a significant predictor for the outcome ‘detection of two zoonotic pathogens concurrently in the faecal sample from an animal’, only the season of sampling of animals (autumn) emerged as significant in the multivariable analysis (p = 0.049). The results indicated a diversity of gastrointestinal pathogens with zoonotic potential in horses and provided evidence for predictors for the infections; also, they can serve to inform horse owners and handlers regarding the possible risk of transmission of pathogens with zoonotic potential. In addition, our findings highlight the importance of continuous surveillance for zoonotic pathogens in domestic animals. Full article

As warmer and drier conditions associated with global warming are projected to increase in southern Europe, the Mediterranean countries are currently the most prone to wildfire danger. In the present study, we investigated the statistical relationship between drought and fire weather risks in the context of climate change using drought index and fire weather-related indicators. We focused on the vulnerable and long-suffering area of the Attica region using high-resolution gridded climate datasets. Concerning fire weather components and fire hazard days, the majority of Attica consistently produced values that were moderately to highly anti-correlated (−0.5 to −0.9). This suggests that drier circumstances raise the risk of fires. Additionally, it was shown that the spatial dependence of each variable on the 6-months scale Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI6), varied based on the period and climate scenario. Under both scenarios, an increasing rate of change between the drought index and fire indicators was calculated over future periods versus the historical period. In the case of mean and 95th percentiles of FWI with SPEI6, abrupt changes in linear regression slope values were observed, shifting from lower in the past to higher values in the future periods. Finally, the fire indicators’ future projections demonstrated a tendency towards an increasing fire weather risk for the region’s non-urban (forested and agricultural) areas. This increase was evident from the probability distributions shifting to higher mean and even more extreme values in future periods and scenarios. The study demonstrated the region’s growing vulnerability to future fire incidents in the context of climate change. Full article