The devastating impact of waste and recycling industry fires costs approximately $2.5 billion annually in the US and Canada alone, with lithium-ion batteries causing roughly 50% of these incidents. In this episode with Ryan Fogelman from Fire Rover, we discuss:

• Understanding the scale of waste facility fires and why traditional fire protection methods often fail in these environments
• How lithium-ion batteries have created a "hockey stick" rise in fire incidents since 2015
• The "vape effect" - how 1.2 billion single-use vapes with no proper disposal options are contributing to the fire crisis
• Why remote monitoring and response systems can detect and fight fires faster than traditional sprinkler systems
• The importance of early intervention - FireRover's systems respond in seconds rather than minutes, and targeted suppression uses 88% less water than traditional methods while providing more effective control, reducing the contaminated water spill
• Why waste and recycling operators are victims of consumer disposal habits and regulatory gaps
• The need for more convenient battery drop-off locations to prevent improper disposal
• How innovative fire solutions are changing the approach from "water, water, water" to targeted remote response

Visit firerover.com to learn more about remote fire suppression solutions for waste facilities or contact Ryan Fogelman on lnkd for a free PDF copy of the latest "Waste & Recycling Facility Fire Annual Report"

Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.

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The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.

When wildfire threatens neighbourhoods with closely-spaced homes, what determines whether flames leap from one structure to the next? The FSRI research team - Rebekah Schrader, Joseph Willi, Daniel Gorham and Gavin Horn - joins us to unveil their experimental series that methodically dissects the pathways through which fire spreads between buildings.

The team walks us through their massive outdoor experimental setup, where they created controlled compartment fires and measured their impact on adjacent walls and windows at various separation distances. They discovered that even non-combustible exterior cladding like fiber cement board won't necessarily protect a home when the underlying sheathing is combustible—especially at close distances where heat fluxes reach a staggering 75-125 kW/m².

Windows emerge as perhaps the most vulnerable component, with their research revealing dramatic differences in performance between glass types. Double-pane tempered glass significantly outperforms plain glass configurations, but the surprising finding was how much window frame materials matter. In one experiment, vinyl frames completely failed while the glass was still intact, causing entire window assemblies to drop from the wall.

Another aspect of their research are the measurements of the heat transfer through intact windows. Using specialized measurements, they found that significant radiant heat penetrates even unbroken windows, potentially igniting curtains or furniture inside before the window itself fails. Low-emissivity coatings proved remarkably effective at reducing this heat transfer.

This research offers crucial insights for homeowners, fire safety engineers, and policymakers working to create more resilient communities. The findings extend beyond wildland fire applications, providing valuable data for urban fire safety engineering across multiple contexts.

Find the research papers at:

• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fam.3278
• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10694-024-01685-8
• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10694-024-01656-z

And additional resources at:

• https://fsri.org/research-update/journal-article-reports-heat-transfer-through-different-window-constructions
• https://fsri.org/research-update/journal-article-investigates-role-residential-siding-materials-spread-exterior

Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.

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The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.

In this podcast episode, we host Rebekah Schrader, Joseph Willi, Daniel Gorham and Gavin Horn, all from the FSRI, to cover their recent experimental research on fire spread through external walls. This is part 1 of the interview - the background, rationale and context. In part 2, we cover the experiments themselves, findings and actionable guidance from the experiments.

This research is conducted within the context of structure-to-structure fire spread, potentially in urban conflagration scenarios. The subject is most relevant, as when wildfires meet urban areas, they transform into something far more destructive – "wildfire-initiated urban conflagrations." These events devastate entire communities as fire spreads rapidly from structure to structure, overwhelming firefighting resources and leaving widespread destruction in their wake.

The Fire Safety Research Institute has embarked on a comprehensive research initiative examining exactly how these conflagrations develop and spread. What started as a response to their advisory board's call to action in 2018 has evolved into a groundbreaking exploration of the complex interactions between wildland fires and the built environment.

We break down the three primary mechanisms of fire spread – radiant heat, direct flame contact, and firebrands – while highlighting specific vulnerabilities in modern construction, particularly windows and cladding systems.

What makes this research particularly valuable is how it bridges traditionally separate disciplines: wildfire science and structural fire engineering. The team explains how they've translated complex wildfire scenarios into controlled laboratory experiments that yield actionable data for improving building codes and community design.

Whether you're a fire safety professional, community planner, or homeowner in a wildfire-prone region, this conversation offers crucial insights into how we can create more resilient communities in the face of this growing threat.

In the next episode, we will cover in depth the details of three experiments mentioned today.

Find the research papers at:

• https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fam.3278
• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10694-024-01685-8
• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10694-024-01656-z

And additional resources at:

• https://fsri.org/research-update/journal-article-reports-heat-transfer-through-different-window-constructions
• https://fsri.org/research-update/journal-article-investigates-role-residential-siding-materials-spread-exterior

Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.

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The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.

The UK's Building Safety Act requires high-risk buildings to maintain comprehensive fire safety cases - living documents that identify hazards, mitigate risks, and establish clear accountability for building safety. This is the subject of my discussion with Chris Mayfield and Martyn Ramsden from OFR.

• Safety cases differ from fire strategies by being owned by the building's accountable person rather than consultants
• The Principal Accountable Person must take responsibility for preventing fire spread and structural failure
• Safety cases must document hazards, protective measures, and management systems
• The approach draws from lessons in high-hazard industries following disasters like Piper Alpha
• Safety cases should follow a logical structure: building description, safety management, hazard identification, safety measures, emergency procedures, and conclusions
• Bow tie diagrams help visualise threats, consequences, and barriers in a way all stakeholders can understand
• For new buildings, safety cases integrate with the "gateway" approval system
• Existing high-risk buildings (over 18m/7 stories with 2+ dwellings) must have safety cases ready for inspection
• When properly implemented, safety cases create cultural change by helping everyone understand their role in safety

Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.

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The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.

Professor Xinyan Huang from Hong Kong Polytechnic University shares his expertise on battery fires and the various experimental methods researchers use to trigger thermal runaway events under controlled conditions.

• Terminology matters - "thermal runaway" more accurately describes battery failure than "ignition" as the critical reactions occur inside the cell
• Nail penetration testing is widely used but contains surprising complexities, including nail material, penetration depth, velocity and battery orientation
• Mechanical abuse tests (crushing, dropping, squeezing) simulate real-world accidents but often lack repeatability
• Thermal abuse via heating typically targets 200°C surface temperature using methods including flame exposure, electrical coils, and laser heating
• Electrical abuse through overcharging (150-200% SOC) significantly increases risk, while poor-quality charging equipment creates additional hazards
• State of charge plays a crucial role in how batteries respond to abuse tests
• New research aims to bridge the gap between micro-scale material testing and cell-level testing

Professor Huang is organising the 4th International Symposium on Lithium Battery Fire Safety (ISLBFS 2025) in Hong Kong from October 30th to November 2nd - the largest battery fire safety conference in the world.

I intended to link Xinyan's papers on batteries, but there is 19 of them!?! Let me link the most recent ones:

• Dynamic thermal runaway evolution of Li-ion battery during nail penetration
• Modeling liquid immersion-cooling battery thermal management system and optimization via machine learning
• Laser-induced thermal runaway dynamics of cylindrical lithium-ion battery
• Effect of thermal impact on the onset and propagation of thermal runaway over cylindrical Li-ion batteries
• A Review of Battery Fires in Electric Vehicles
• Alleviation on battery thermal runaway propagation: Effects of oxygen level and dilution gas

Cover image source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2024.111337

Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.

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The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.

Welcome to another Fire Fundamentals. This time the episode is focused on various extinguishing technologies. Invited guest - Bogdan Racięga, Director at Baltic Fire Laboratory and expert in fire protection systems breaks down the fundamental differences between suppression and extinction technologies and how they work in real-world applications.

• Clear distinction between suppression systems (control fires while meeting temperature criteria) and extinction systems (must completely extinguish fires)
• Types of fire protection systems including water-based (sprinkler, water mist), foam, aerosol, and gas systems (no fire-balls :))
• Technical parameters affecting performance: K-value, nominal working pressure, RTI, discharge areas
• Areas of application, eg. why water mist systems can often be preferred for high-rise buildings due to smaller piping and reduced weight
• How temperature ratings and RTI affect sprinkler activation timing and performance
• Challenges with concealed sprinklers including maintenance issues and delayed activation
• Testing procedures for water distribution patterns and certification processes
• Differences between high-pressure and low-pressure systems in various applications
• nuances related to the role of an accredited laboratory (ISO 17025) and a certification body (ISO 17065)

Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.

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The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.

Jet-fan systems effectively control smoke in car parks by creating directed airflows that transport smoke from one point to another, similar to how longitudinal ventilation works in tunnels. These systems offer cost-effectiveness and simplicity by eliminating ductwork while providing powerful smoke management capabilities when properly designed and understood.

• Jet Fans create momentum transfer through air entrainment rather than directly moving smoke
• Two distinct operational modes exist: smoke clearance (reducing thermal stress) and smoke control (maintaining clear firefighter access)
• Systems require careful balancing of extraction capacity with Jet Fan thrust force
• Optimal design typically requires CFD modeling followed by hot smoke testing for verification
• Jet Fan activation timing presents challenges for evacuation - usually delayed until occupants exit
• Systems excel in tunnel-like geometries but struggle with complex layouts (the "Tetris rule")
• Particularly effective against heavier-than-air gases like LPG or EV battery fire emissions
• European standards now available through EN 12101 family for design guidance

If you need design assistance with Jet Fan systems for your projects, email me directly at [email protected]. 

Further reading:

- Jet-Fan Systems in Car Parks Design Methods: an Overview and Assessment of Performance

- Our in-depth multiparametric study on car park ventilation

- A. Król and M. Król, Study on numerical modeling of jet fans

- Thunderhead's guide to modelling jet-fans in FDS

Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.

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The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.

This episode explores the invaluable contributions of community participation in fire safety technical committees. Joining committees is not just about sharing expertise; it’s a journey that transforms careers and fosters growth. Our guests, Birgitte Messerschmidt and Kees Both, reveal how their experiences in various committees, including the NFPA, ISO, ASTM and CEN, have shaped their professional paths. 

As we dive deeper into the intricacies of committee politics, our guests candidly share the challenges and rewards of engaging in this important work. They emphasize how participating in committees enhances one's career and contributes to the greater good by improving fire safety standards. This is an essential discussion for any engineer, especially those starting their careers, as they navigate the complexities of working with diverse stakeholders.

If you just felt inspired to join a committee, please look here:

• https://www.sfpe.org/membership-communities/standingcommittees
• https://www.nfpa.org/for-professionals/codes-and-standards/standards-development/technical-committees/committees-seeking-members
• https://www.cencenelec.eu/get-involved/small-and-medium-enterprises-smes/tools-for-smes/getting-involved/

Or just shoot us an email, or reach out at LinkedIn. We will help you out!

Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.

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The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.

With the emergence of electric vehicles, fire safety and dynamics have entered a new domain, raising crucial questions about existing protocols, design fires and data gaps. Today, our Wojciech Wegrzyński welcomes Zahir, Associate Prof. at University Putra Malaysia, to discuss the findings from their latest papers, compare methodologies, and highlight the differences between traditional combustion engines and electric vehicles. 

The conversation covers various topics, from the nuances of fire dynamics to the importance of context in risk assessment. Zahir shares his extensive experience studying vehicle fires, including the evolution of electric vehicle dynamics that users should never ignore. With thought-provoking insights, this episode emphasises the increasing need for robust, comprehensive data regarding car fires and the unique challenges posed by electric vehicles. 

Join us in this engaging exploration of fire safety science, and don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review!

Papers! PAPERS:

Miechówka & Węgrzyński: Systematic Literature Review on Passenger Car Fire Experiments for Car Park Safety Design

Zahir & César Martín-Gómez: Evaluating Fire Severity in Electric Vehicles and Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles: A Statistical Approach to Heat Release Rates

Podcast episode 135 - Contemplating a car park design fire

(and the paper by J. Hodges from last year is here)

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Badania przedstawione w odcinku podcastu omawiane przez dr Wojciecha Węgrzyńskiego przeprowadzono w projekcie realizowanym an podstawie umowy UMO-2020/37/B/ST8/03839 do projektu badawczego nr 2020/37/B/ST8/03839 pt. Skutki oddziaływania wiatru na pożary budynków w wieloparametrycznej ocenie ryzyka z wykorzystaniem metod numerycznych.

Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.

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The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.

This episode emphasises the value of focusing on simple things in fire safety engineering, something we somehow miss when we go too deep into the technical details of our projects. I've looked at eight different aspects of fire safety - inspired by the CPR requirements, and I've added resiliency, redundancy and suppression to them. By promoting straightforward guidelines like evaluating material combustibility, ensuring effective egress routes, and engaging with rescue services, architects and engineers can significantly enhance building safety practices. 

In this episode, we talk about:
• Simple methods yield effective fire safety solutions 
• Importance of adhering to foundational fire safety principles 
• CPR’s five essential requirements for construction safety 
• Load-bearing capacity and material combustibility considerations 
• Strategies for minimising fire spread between structures 
• Importance of clear egress pathways for building occupants 
• Opportunities for enhancing rescue team safety via communication 
• Emphasis on redundancy and resiliency in fire safety systems 

Each foundational principle allows fire safety practitioners to implement effective strategies that can lead to safer buildings and improved occupant outcomes.

Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.

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The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.