Fire forensics reveals ancient infernos, offers future insights
Eastern Australia is one of the most fire-prone regions in the world, with bushfires responsible for the deaths of about 800 people and millions of animals since about 1850.
Fires, as a research topic, encompass the study of uncontrolled combustion processes in natural or built environments, including their ignition mechanisms, propagation dynamics, energy release, and interaction with surrounding materials and atmospheres. Scientific investigation addresses thermal radiation, convection, and conduction, flame chemistry, plume behavior, and the production and transport of particulates and gaseous emissions. Research spans wildland and forest fires, structural and industrial fires, and their impacts on ecosystems, air quality, climate, and human health. It also includes fire detection, modeling, and suppression strategies, as well as risk assessment and mitigation within environmental, engineering, and public safety frameworks.
Eastern Australia is one of the most fire-prone regions in the world, with bushfires responsible for the deaths of about 800 people and millions of animals since about 1850.
Earth Sciences
Jul 1, 2025
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Early one October afternoon in 2023, thick gray smoke drifted across Sheffield's western skyline. As much of the city became blanketed, residents turned to social media to complain about "bonfire smoke," while others were ...
Environment
Jun 30, 2025
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Earlier in 2025, wildfires in southern California killed 30 people, destroyed more than 18,000 homes and burned more than 57,000 acres. The fires were stark reminders of the threat of worsening climate change, and the increased ...
Environment
Jun 30, 2025
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People dedicated to the art of grilling often choose lump charcoal—actual pieces of wood that have been turned into charcoal—over briquettes, which are compressed charcoal dust with other ingredients to keep the dust together ...
Ecology
Jun 26, 2025
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At ESA's Living Planet Symposium, scientists have unveiled how the combination of different long-term, high-resolution satellite datasets from ESA's Climate Change Initiative is shedding new light on the South American Gran ...
Planetary Sciences
Jun 26, 2025
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A Canadian wildfire that threatened a community near Vancouver was being contained Monday, authorities said, with favorable weather conditions in another region allowing thousands of evacuees to return home.
Environment
Jun 16, 2025
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Forest fire prevention and control agencies in São Carlos, in the interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, will soon have help from the sky to detect fires more quickly and combat them before they grow out of control and ...
Environment
Jun 13, 2025
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Forest fires are a fundamental force in Earth's dynamics with a direct impact on human health, food security, and biodiversity. From air quality to landscape configuration and resource availability, the consequences of fire ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 13, 2025
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Research by a Ph.D. graduate from the biology department at The University of New Mexico finds that frequent fires have the potential to reduce tree water stress. Kevin Willson, a postdoctoral researcher with the Forest Service, ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 13, 2025
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Two years after a historically devastating summer, Canada is once again facing a massive fire season, with burned areas already exceeding year-to-date averages from recent years.
Environment
Jun 11, 2025
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