Simulation of a Residential Wind Driven Basement Fire - Riverdale Heights, MD

The results of the no-wind and wind fire simulations demonstrate how wind conditions can rapidly change the thermal environment from tenable to untenable for fire fighters working in single-story residential, multi-family residential, and high-rise structure fires.

“The results of the “no-wind” and “wind” fire simulations demonstrate how wind conditions can rapidly change the thermal environment from tenable to untenable for fire fighters working in a single-story residential structure fire, in a multi-family residential structure fire, and high-rise structure fire.”

Ongoing research by NIST, UL, and others has demonstrated that applying water from the exterior into the fire area prior to the start of interior operations can significantly improve fire fighter safety by reducing the thermal hazard and reducing the potential for developing high velocity hot gas flows within the structure.

“Ongoing research by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Underwriters Laboratories (UL), and others has demonstrated that applying water from the exterior into the fire area of a structure (prior to the start of interior operations) can significantly improve the safety of fire fighters by reducing the thermal hazard from the fire and reducing the potential for developing high vel”

Uncoordinated ventilation procedures can also cause increased thermal hazards within a flow path.

“Uncoordinated ventilation procedures can also be the cause of increased thermal hazards within a flow path [Weinschenk, Overholt, and Madrzykowski 2015].”

Environmental conditions such as wind can generate hazardous thermal conditions within a flow path.

“Environmental conditions such as wind can generate hazardous thermal conditions within a flow path.”

Studies have demonstrated that applying water from the exterior into the upwind side of the structure can have a significant impact on controlling the fire prior to beginning interior operations.

“Studies have demonstrated that applying water from the exterior into the upwind side of the structure can have a significant impact on controlling the fire prior to beginning interior operations.”

The simulation results emphasize the importance of including wind conditions in the scene size-up before and while performing fire-fighting operations and adjusting tactics based on the wind conditions.

“The simulation results emphasize the importance of including wind conditions in the scene size-up before beginning and while performing fire-fighting operations and adjusting tactics based on the wind conditions [Madrzykowski and Kerber 2009;Weinschenk, Overholt, and Madrzykowski 2015].”