Progress Report on Fires Following the Northridge Earthquake.
Progress Report on Fires Following the Northridge
Earthquake.
(830 K)
Evans, D. D.; Walton, W. D.; Mowrer, F. W.
NISTIR 6030; June 1997.
U.S./Japan Government Cooperative Program on Natural
Resources (UJNR). Fire Research and Safety. 13th Joint
Panel Meeting. Volume 2. March 13-20, 1996,
Gaithersburg, MD, Beall, K. A., Editor(s), 273-281 pp,
1997.
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
Order number: PB97-184204
Keywords:
fire safety; fire research; earthquakes; urban fires;
wildland fires; windows; glazing materials; fire spread;
lifelines; ignition; fire suppression
Abstract:
Fires following earthquakes can add substantially to the
community wide destruction initiated by strong
earthquakes and the associated after shocks. The loss
of life and property caused by fire occurs in a
different time frame than the structural and property
damage caused directly by the earthquake. While most of
the loss caused by shaking occurs during the time of
ground movement, there is usually no fire loss during
that time. Fire loss directly attributable to the
earthquake begins immediately following the earthquake
and can continue for days afterward. The destruction
potential associated with post-earthquake fires is
strongly dependent on the damages to the community
lifeline systems and to the weather conditions,
especially the wind speed.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899