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Wildfire research at WPI
The devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area exemplify the dangers of wind-driven fires in inhabited areas. WPI’s Department of Fire Protection Engineering is leading research designed to understand how fires spread with the goal of contributing to measures that can better protect communities and firefighters.
WPI’s experts in this field include those who are part of the National Science Foundation’s Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center, a collaboration with San Jose State University, to study new fire detection methods, first responder safety, and wildfire suppression systems.
WPI’s research, which involves faculty and ongoing experiments conducted by students in a state-of-the-art wind tunnel on campus, was featured by several media outlets including The Boston Globe, WCVB, NBC 10 Boston, NECN, and Spectrum News 1.
The Associated Press also interviewed James Urban, an assistant professor of fire protection engineering, for an article that helps explain how firebrands, or flying embers, contribute to the spread of wildfires. The AP also interviewed Urban and visited campus to observe fire laboratory experiments for its coverage explaining how fire whirls, or fire tornadoes, can develop in large fires like those occurring in the Los Angeles area. Their experiments were photographed and featured in an AP article, "Fire tornadoes pose a threat in California. A fire lab shows how they work" and in an AP video.
Professor Urban also spoke with WPTF, a news radio station in Raleigh, NC, about how wind and drought factored into the California fires, and about wildfire prevention.
The Brazilian newspaper O Globo interviewed Albert Simeoni, professor, and head of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering, about the Notre Dame Cathedral fire in Paris, upon the building’s restoration and reopening to the public. "The confusion over the approximate area of the fire and the time it took to reach the roof from the stairs resulted in a significant loss of time, which allowed the flames to grow beyond the firefighters' ability to control," Simeoni said.
Albert Simeoni, head of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering, spoke with Boston 25 News for a report on the elevated brush fire danger in the northeast and the impacts of smoke from those fires on people living nearby.
The WPI student chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers held a laboratory demonstration in which two Christmas trees were burned to show how quickly they can ignite, especially ones that are not consistently watered. The chapter also provided fire safety tips.
Students in the fire protection engineering program demonstrated in a laboratory how quickly Christmas trees can burn. The demonstration shows the difference in ignition time for a dried-out tree and one that has been watered. Can you guess how high the temperatures reached? Find the answer in this Spectrum News 1 report.
New announcement will allow WPI to build upon its longstanding expertise in fire protection to study new fire detection methods, robotics solutions to enhance first responder safety, and fire suppression systems for wildfires.
WBUR reports on the addition of WPI to a federal Wildlife Interdisciplinary Research Center. The work will focus on fire detection models, first responder safety, and wildfire suppression systems.
Fire protection engineering professors Albert Simeoni and James Urban were quoted in a Reuters Fact Check article on the dynamics of the devastating fires in Hawaii. They explain how wildfires spread and why some things in a burned area avoid damage when so much else is destroyed.
Fire protection engineering professor Albert Simeoni was cited in the Agence France-Presse (AFP) Fact Check section about speculation surrounding the cause of the deadly Maui fire.
Simeoni stated, “You had all the conditions -- the fuel, the heat, the wind and the ignition sources -- to create a catastrophe.”
In the report, “How Climate Change is Impacting Wildfires,” NBC10 interviewed Albert Simeoni, professor, department head, fire protection engineering. “If we understand better how fires start then we can start to support policy and decision making, he said.
Professor Albert Simeoni, head of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering, was interviewed about his being awarded $519,893 from the National Institute of Justice to evaluate the reliability of burn pattern indicators used by investigators to determine the starting point of wildfires.
The Canadian Broadcast Corporation quoted Professor Albert Simeoni, fire protection engineering, in this article. He said Canadian findings in a new paper from Natural Resources Canada scientists quantify and add direct evidence to what he and others have seen in other places, including in eucalyptus forests in Australia . “We have observed that repeated heat insults to vegetation and the soil was damaging and this corroborates this observation," Simeoni told the CBC.
The New York Times quoted Albert Simeoni, professor, interim department head, fire protection engineering, in in this article. (see: Precious Time Lost subhead) “The only thing that surprised me is that this disaster didn’t happen sooner,” Simeoni told The Times.
Earther-Gizmodo published an article about Albert Simeoni, professor and interim fire protection engineering department head, and the work being done at WPI to better understand wildfires and their impact on communities.
Nova interviewed Albert Simeoni (2:32 mark), professor, interim department head, Fire Protection Engineering; and Steven Van Dessel (2:14 mark), associate professor, director, Architectural Engineering Program, for this PBSVideos segment on Facebook.
WPI’s wildfire research was featured on Channel 3 in a story about tests conducted in a state-of-the-art wind tunnel at the university’s Fire Protection Engineering lab. Professor Albert Simeoni, fire protection engineering interim department head, says the work will help researchers better understand and predict flame spread during wildfires.
The publication includes an article by Albert Simeoni, fire protection engineering professor and interim department head. Simeoni addresses the question, "Why We Need More Support for Wildland Fire Research" explaining how this is a growing problem, not just in the United States but countries around the world.
Newsweek interviewed professor Albert Simeoni, fire protection engineering, for this article. “You can start a wildfire with a spark that can grow out of control in less than 30 seconds,” Simeoni said, adding that while you can start a wildfire in other ways, such as with a simple cigarette or match, “here you have matches or a lighter on steroids.”
An op-ed focused on the recent wildfires in California and the importance of fire science, written by Albert Simeoni, professor, fire protection engineering.
