Submit to Fire Review for Fire

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Fire, Volume 9, Issue 10 (October 2026) – 5 articles

Issues are regarded as officially published after their release is announced to the table of contents alert mailing list.
You may sign up for e-mail alerts to receive table of contents of newly released issues.
PDF is the official format for papers published in both, html and pdf forms. To view the papers in pdf format, click on the "PDF Full-text" link, and use the free Adobe Reader to open them.

Order results

Result details

Section

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

29 pages, 1848 KB

Open AccessReview

Fire Evolution Mechanisms and Protection Technologies in Urban Utility Tunnel Power Compartments: State-of-the-Art, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

by Yaning Xue, Yanfeng Li, Mengzhen Liu, Longyue Li, Haiyong Sun and Guanghui Yang

Fire 2026, 9(10), 418; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9100418 - 22 Sep 2026

Abstract

As global urbanization transitions toward intensive underground space utilization, utility-tunnels have emerged as indispensable “urban lifelines.” Among their various compartments, the power compartment represents the most critical yet vulnerable zone, characterized by high-density fire loads and extreme confined boundary constraints. This review summarizes and critically discusses current research on the state-of-the-art in utility-tunnel fire safety, establishing a holistic framework that bridges fundamental physical mechanisms with advanced engineering applications. The review focuses on the fire dynamics specific to power compartments, including cable aging-induced ignition, multidirectional flame spread, heat release, and smoke propagation. Subsequently, the study critically evaluates the limitations of current fire codes and identifies the methodological gaps in reduced-scale experiments and CFD simulations when addressing complex heterogeneous topologies. As for fire safety protection, highlight transformative frontiers in smart prevention, including nano-enhanced intrinsically safe materials, AI-driven digital-twin frameworks for real-time situational awareness, and synergistic “gas–liquid–solid” extinguishing systems (e.g., liquid-nitrogen and fine water mist) were summarized and analyzed. Finally, a strategic roadmap for future research is proposed, advocating for a shift from “straight-segment” analysis to “network-wide” resilience assessment. This synthesis aims to guide the development of next-generation intelligent fire-protection systems for resilient underground urban infrastructures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Fire Risk Assessment and Safety Management in Buildings and Urban Spaces)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1643 KB

Open AccessArticle

An Updated Kinetic Mechanism for the Combustion Inhibition of 2-Bromo-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (2-BTP)

by Yin Zhang, Jingjing Cheng, Xin Zhang, Xinran Zhang, Yang Wang and Huiting Bian

Fire 2026, 9(10), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9100417 - 22 Sep 2026

Abstract

2-Bromo-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (2-BTP, CF₃CBr=CH₂) is a promising halogenated flame suppressant, but its effects on flame propagation depend strongly on the coupled bromine and hydrocarbon chemistry. In this study, an updated kinetic mechanism was developed to describe the effects of 2-BTP on CH₄–air and C₃H₈–air flames. The revised mechanism contains 200 species and 1680 reactions, including the re-evaluation of 48 Br-related rate expressions, the addition of 70 reactions, and the supplementation of thermochemical data for selected 2-BTP decomposition products. The mechanism was evaluated against available laminar burning-velocity measurements over ranges of equivalence ratio and 2-BTP concentration at 298 K and 0.101 MPa. Under stoichiometric conditions with 1 vol.% 2-BTP, the predicted burning velocities were approximately 17.4 cm/s for CH₄–air and 22.15 cm/s for C₃H₈–air, compared with experimental values of approximately 17.4 and 22.53 cm/s, respectively. The revised mechanism generally reproduced the measured burning-velocity trends and improved the agreement under several conditions relative to the previous mechanism. Equilibrium calculations showed that low 2-BTP concentrations could increase the adiabatic flame temperature under lean conditions, whereas higher concentrations generally decreased the temperature. Reaction-path and sensitivity analyses identified the competing inhibition and combustion-promoting pathways, and highlighted reactions requiring further kinetic evaluation. Overall, the revised mechanism provides an improved description of the effects of 2-BTP on light-hydrocarbon flames under the tested conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Kinetics of Combustion and Pyrolysis)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 15744 KB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Characterization of Abnormal Heating in Historic Timber Structures Using Low-Temperature Wood Pyrolysis Particles

by Wenhao Li, Chengguo Li, Jian Zhang, Zongao Yu and Haijun Luo

Fire 2026, 9(10), 416; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9100416 - 22 Sep 2026

Abstract

Fire poses a serious threat to historic timber buildings and cultural heritage. Conventional smoke, carbon monoxide (CO), and flame detectors may respond weakly during the early thermal-degradation stage of wood. This study investigated particles released from wood during low-temperature thermal exposure as potential indicators of abnormal heating. Chinese fir, Masson pine, Korean pine, and Nanmu were tested on a controlled thermal-exposure platform using a particle sensor combining adiabatic-expansion-induced condensational amplification with light-scattering detection. Pyrolysis particle number concentration (PPC) was continuously monitored under uncoated and selected surface-coating conditions. At 180 °C for 30 min, PPC values for Chinese fir, Masson pine, Korean pine, and Nanmu were approximately 114, 125, 135, and 158 particles/cm³, respectively. PPC generally increased with exposure temperature and varied with wood species and coating conditions. Detectable particle responses occurred before visible smoke or open flames appeared, whereas parallel smoke, CO, and flame detectors showed no evident response under the tested conditions. These findings suggest that particles generated during low-temperature wood thermal degradation can characterize early-stage abnormal heating and show potential as indicators for early fire monitoring in historic timber buildings, providing preliminary experimental support for monitoring cultural heritage structures. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 3918 KB

Open AccessReview

A Bibliometric Review of Chinese Research on Coal Spontaneous Combustion Inhibitors in Years 1990–2025

by Yanlong Wang, Gangwei Fan, Yichao Li, Dongsheng Zhang, Shizhong Zhang, Huiqiang Zhao and Pan Shu

Fire 2026, 9(10), 415; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9100415 - 22 Sep 2026

Abstract

To better understand the research status and development trends of coal spontaneous combustion inhibitors in China, this study uses CiteSpace to conduct a bibliometric analysis of relevant literature from the CNKI database (1990–2025). The analysis covers publication trends, institutional collaboration, and keyword co-occurrence. The findings reveal four developmental stages: initial exploration (1990–2005), steady growth (2006–2014), rapid expansion (2015–2019), and maturation with green transformation (2020–2025). Coal Mine Safety (published by CCTEG Shenyang Research Institute), Coal Technology (published by Harbin Coal Mining Machinery Research Institute), Coal Science and Technology (published by China Coal Research Institute), and Mining Safety and Environmental Protection (published by CCTEG Chongqing Research Institute) were the principal publication venues. By full-count publication output, the leading authors were Wang Fusheng (North China University of Science and Technology), Ma Li (Xi’an University of Science and Technology), and Lu Wei (Anhui University of Science and Technology). Institutional activity was concentrated in northern and northwestern China, although cross-institutional collaboration remained limited. However, inter-institutional cooperation and exchange remain insufficient. “Inhibitor”, “coal spontaneous combustion”, and “inhibition efficiency” were the most frequent keywords. Current research frontiers include composite inhibition mechanisms, green and long-term inhibition, and targeted intelligent release. Traditional halogen salt inhibitors suffer from limitations such as easy dissipation and a short effective lifespan, while new technologies such as composite synergistic and intelligent responsive inhibitors are not yet mature. As coal mining moves toward greener and more intelligent practices, future research should focus on integrating inhibition technology with sustainable concepts, and on bridging theoretical mechanism studies with engineering applications. Additionally, technologies such as the Internet of Things and automated control should be leveraged to enhance the efficient application of inhibitors and ensure safe production. Full article

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 6606 KB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation-Based Strategies for Surface Fire Prevention and Control in Wind-Damaged Zones of Changbai Mountain

by Sainan Yin, Xiang Chen, Na Liu, Jifeng Wu, Yanlong Shan, Xiangyu Liu, Qianle Tang, Chang Xu, Wenjun Xie, Shilong Feng, Tongtong Wang and Chaorong Cai

Fire 2026, 9(10), 414; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9100414 - 22 Sep 2026

Abstract

Severe wind disturbances substantially alter forest structure and fuel spatial patterns, forming unique high-fire-risk forest environments. However, quantitative studies on post-recovery fire behavior and targeted fire prevention strategies in temperate wind-damaged forests remain insufficient. Based on the extensive wind-damaged zones of the Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve caused by Typhoon Vera in 1986, this study adopted a synergistic optimization plan of fuel management and firefighting forces and quantitatively evaluated its improvement effects on fire prevention and control by comparing surface fire spread characteristics and firefighting efficiency before and after optimization. The highest surface fire spread rate was observed in the primary forest reserves, while the total fire area was greater in the unrestored and semi-restored zones. Reducing the fuel load by 50% and maintaining the fuel moisture content under the forest canopy at 35% effectively suppresses the surface forest fire spread. After optimization, the maximum reduction in the fire spread rate reached 61.85%, and the maximum reduction in the total area of fire reached 47.48%. Optimization of firefighting forces, combined with fuel management, significantly reduced fire suppression time, especially in unrestored zones and primary forest reserves where fire spread is rapid. The maximum reduction in firefighting time reached 42.45%, and the surface fire extinguishing rate within two hours exceeded 90% across different restored areas. The fire prevention and control techniques based on quantifying fire behavior and optimizing firefighting resources can provide valuable references for managing forest fire risk in similar regions affected by extreme weather events. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Applications of Remote Sensing and Machine Learning in Forest Fire Detection and Prevention)

► Show Figures