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Articles on Fire fighting

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Ongoing rescue operation by firefighters burned residential buildings in Valencia, Spain - 23 February 2024. Dina Mukhutdinova/Shutterstock

Valencia apartment block fire: can safety regulations keep up with innovation in construction?

Following the tragic, devastating apartment block fire in Eastern Spain, questions are being asked about fire safety, and how it can keep pace with new technology and construction techniques.
The fire risk goes beyond rising temperatures and dry conditions. Samuel Corum / AFP via Getty Images

Western wildfires destroyed 246% more homes and buildings over the past decade – fire scientists explain what’s changing

More homes are burning in wildfires in nearly every Western state. The reason? Humans.
For firefighters, as for communities, knowing when to leave makes all the difference. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

Know when to go: a new way to keep firefighters safe from harm

For a firefighter, knowing when it’s time to evacuate can be the difference between life and death. But that can be a difficult call to make when you’re trying to protect life, property and resources while…
People living in the bush can’t rely too heavily on controlled burn-offs to protect their home. AAP Image/Channel Ten

Which homes will survive this bushfire season?

After the early onset of the 2013-14 bushfire season, it is worth reviewing which homes are more likely to be left standing when the fires inevitably return. One of the most important factors to note is…
Forest fires will become more severe with climate change, inevitably taking a greater toll of lives. European Press Agency

Are extreme forest fires the new normal?

The tragic events in Yarnell, Arizona, where 19 firefighters died battling a forest fire, brought to the forefront the dangers of forest fires. The changes in climate that have been observed during the…
Remains of a fertiliser plant and other buildings and vehicles after the plant exploded in West, Texas, USA, 17 April 2013. EPA

Why was the Texas fertiliser plant explosion so deadly?

At least 14 people – including a number of emergency services crew – died in an massive explosion on Wednesday night at a fertiliser plant in the small town of West near Waco, Texas. So what made the blaze…
Research shows that men are more likely to stay and fight bushfires than women. AAP/Tony Phillips

Fighting and dying: blokes and bushfire in Australia

“Record-breaking Heatwave”. “Australia Burns”. “Heroes of the Flames”. Headlines such as these will be familiar to anyone who has lived though a bad bushfire season in Australia. These past two weeks have…

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