Understanding Building Resistance to Wildfires: A Multi-Factor Approach
In terms of researching fire-related structure loss, various factors can affect structure survival during a wildfire. This paper aims to assess which factors were determinants in house resistance in the specific context of a case study of an extreme wildfire in the Central Region of Portugal and the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Fire |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/6/1/32 |
| _version_ | 1797442700078743552 |
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| author | André Samora-Arvela José Aranha Fernando Correia Diogo M. Pinto Cláudia Magalhães Fantina Tedim |
| author_facet | André Samora-Arvela José Aranha Fernando Correia Diogo M. Pinto Cláudia Magalhães Fantina Tedim |
| author_sort | André Samora-Arvela |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In terms of researching fire-related structure loss, various factors can affect structure survival during a wildfire. This paper aims to assess which factors were determinants in house resistance in the specific context of a case study of an extreme wildfire in the Central Region of Portugal and therefore which factors should be taken into account in the definition of a municipal mitigation strategy to defend buildings against wildfires. In this context, it is possible to conclude that various factors presented a predominant influence, some in building destruction and others in building survival. The existence of overhanging vegetation and lack of defensible space constitute major factors for structure destruction. the inherent wildfire severity, the location in the forest area, and the structure’s isolation from major roads were equally important factors that induced house destruction. Building survival was determined by its increasing distance from the forest and by its location in a dense urban agglomeration. Thus, a strategy to enhance resilience should include the prohibition of roof overhanging vegetation and the restriction of building permits in forest areas, in isolated locations, and/or very far from major roads. These orientations can be extrapolated to municipalities with similar susceptibility and vulnerability to wildfires. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:45:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5cbfee7babc1478bbe136607c21da70b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-6255 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:45:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fire |
| spelling | doaj.art-5cbfee7babc1478bbe136607c21da70b2023-11-30T22:11:47ZengMDPI AGFire2571-62552023-01-01613210.3390/fire6010032Understanding Building Resistance to Wildfires: A Multi-Factor ApproachAndré Samora-Arvela0José Aranha1Fernando Correia2Diogo M. Pinto3Cláudia Magalhães4Fantina Tedim5Research Centre in Geography and Spatial Planning, CEGOT, Geography Department, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Porto, Via Panorâmica, 4150-564 Porto, PortugalResearch Centre for the Research and Technology of Agroenvironmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, PortugalResearch Centre in Geography and Spatial Planning, CEGOT, Geography Department, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Porto, Via Panorâmica, 4150-564 Porto, PortugalResearch Centre in Geography and Spatial Planning, CEGOT, Geography Department, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Porto, Via Panorâmica, 4150-564 Porto, PortugalFaculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Porto, Via Panorâmica, 4150-564 Porto, PortugalResearch Centre in Geography and Spatial Planning, CEGOT, Geography Department, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Porto, Via Panorâmica, 4150-564 Porto, PortugalIn terms of researching fire-related structure loss, various factors can affect structure survival during a wildfire. This paper aims to assess which factors were determinants in house resistance in the specific context of a case study of an extreme wildfire in the Central Region of Portugal and therefore which factors should be taken into account in the definition of a municipal mitigation strategy to defend buildings against wildfires. In this context, it is possible to conclude that various factors presented a predominant influence, some in building destruction and others in building survival. The existence of overhanging vegetation and lack of defensible space constitute major factors for structure destruction. the inherent wildfire severity, the location in the forest area, and the structure’s isolation from major roads were equally important factors that induced house destruction. Building survival was determined by its increasing distance from the forest and by its location in a dense urban agglomeration. Thus, a strategy to enhance resilience should include the prohibition of roof overhanging vegetation and the restriction of building permits in forest areas, in isolated locations, and/or very far from major roads. These orientations can be extrapolated to municipalities with similar susceptibility and vulnerability to wildfires.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/6/1/32wildfirebuilding survivalbuilding destructionfactors |
| spellingShingle | André Samora-Arvela José Aranha Fernando Correia Diogo M. Pinto Cláudia Magalhães Fantina Tedim Understanding Building Resistance to Wildfires: A Multi-Factor Approach Fire wildfire building survival building destruction factors |
| title | Understanding Building Resistance to Wildfires: A Multi-Factor Approach |
| title_full | Understanding Building Resistance to Wildfires: A Multi-Factor Approach |
| title_fullStr | Understanding Building Resistance to Wildfires: A Multi-Factor Approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding Building Resistance to Wildfires: A Multi-Factor Approach |
| title_short | Understanding Building Resistance to Wildfires: A Multi-Factor Approach |
| title_sort | understanding building resistance to wildfires a multi factor approach |
| topic | wildfire building survival building destruction factors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/6/1/32 |
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