Fire damage, as a research topic, refers to the physical, chemical, and structural alterations in materials, ecosystems, or built environments resulting from exposure to high temperatures and combustion processes. It encompasses thermal degradation of polymers and composites, charring and strength loss in wood, phase transformations and spalling in concrete, microstructural changes and residual stress development in metals, and alterations in soil and vegetation properties in ecological systems. Studies of fire damage quantify heat flux, temperature-time histories, material property evolution, and post-fire residual capacity, often using experimental fire testing, thermogravimetric and spectroscopic analyses, and computational fire and heat-transfer modeling to assess performance, safety, and resilience.
Indonesia experiences massive forest fires as the dry season approaches. They are a major environmental challenge because they damage forests and other land, endanger lives, and disrupt local economies. Using sharp, high-resolution ...
Worsening wildfires, soaring heat waves and rising water levels have prompted Greek officials to take a closer look at protecting priceless archaeological sites that draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
Environment
Apr 13, 2026
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The Pacific Northwest has seen below-normal snow this season—and new research from Portland State University suggests that the region's snowmelt-dependent water resources could face growing challenges in the years ahead as ...
Environment
Apr 2, 2026
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Rising sea levels are contributing to a phenomenon called "ghost forests," which are groups of dead and dying standing trees that have been drowned by intruding saltwater. And all along the eastern U.S. where there used to ...
Ecology
Mar 26, 2026
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Across much of the Rocky Mountain West, a winter of record-breaking high temperatures and historically low snowfall has forced people to think about having less water this spring. But it could also mean more severe wildfires ...
Environment
Mar 25, 2026
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After a wildfire, the flames may fade, but the danger does not. A new study by UBC researchers reveals that burned landscapes remain vulnerable for years, with large areas still bare and at risk of invasion by fast-growing, ...
Ecology
Mar 19, 2026
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Mussels baked by the billions. Insect larvae cooked inside scorched cherries. Baby birds plummeted to their deaths from their overheating nests. But some species did just fine during the 2021 North American heat wave, according ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 11, 2026
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Forest damage in Europe caused by wildfires, storms and bark beetle outbreaks is projected to increase compared to recent decades under all analyzed climate scenarios, according to a new international study, published in ...
Earth Sciences
Mar 5, 2026
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In the face of climate change, permafrost peatland wildfires could play more of a role in the destructive cycle of global warming, University of Alberta research suggests.
Earth Sciences
Mar 5, 2026
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Using future climate scenarios based on wildfire damages in North America, scientists estimate that up to 10,000 or more lives may be saved annually in the United States if society is able to mitigate climate change by keeping ...
Environment
Mar 2, 2026
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