Block-Unit-Based Method for Delineating Fire Station Response Zones Using Real-Time Traffic Data

Wu, Yanglong; Yuan, Diping; Liu, Dingli; Liu, Weijun; Cheng, Zhe; Wu, Guohua; Liu, Kang; Zou, Lei

doi:10.3390/fire9030106

Open AccessArticle

Block-Unit-Based Method for Delineating Fire Station Response Zones Using Real-Time Traffic Data

by

Yanglong Wu

^1,2,

Diping Yuan

^1,*,

Dingli Liu

^1,2,*

,

Weijun Liu

²,

Zhe Cheng

¹,

Guohua Wu

¹,

Kang Liu

³

and

Lei Zou

¹

Shenzhen Research Institute, China University of Mining and Technology, Shenzhen 518057, China

²

School of Transportation, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, China

³

Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Fire 2026, 9(3), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9030106

Submission received: 30 January 2026 / Revised: 19 February 2026 / Accepted: 24 February 2026 / Published: 27 February 2026

Download

Browse Figures

Versions Notes

Abstract

The effective delineation of fire station response zones is critical for urban public safety planning, yet traditional methods often fail to account for dynamic traffic conditions, leading to suboptimal resource allocation. This study proposes a novel block-unit-based method that incorporates real-time traffic data to delineate fire station response zones, improving the scientificity of response time estimation. The method was validated using data from Daxiang District, China, a typical urban–rural mixed region, encompassing 2230 block units, 4 fire stations, and 13,097 demand points. Analysis of 1,225,047 data samples revealed an average travel time of 960.7 s, highlighting significant accessibility challenges. The re-delineated response zones cover areas ranging from 1.07 to 156.24 km², with significant variations. It is attributed to the concentration of fire stations in urban areas, insufficient coverage of vast rural regions, and the proximity of one station to a river and regional boundary. These findings underscore the spatial inequities in fire service provision and the need for a more balanced resource allocation strategy. Recommendations include establishing rural fire stations, improving urban traffic conditions, and relocating certain fire stations. This approach can enhance regional accessibility and provides a scientific basis for fire service planning.

Keywords: fire station response zones; real-time traffic conditions; fire service equity; block unit analysis; accessibility optimization; urban–rural mixed areas

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Wu, Y.; Yuan, D.; Liu, D.; Liu, W.; Cheng, Z.; Wu, G.; Liu, K.; Zou, L. Block-Unit-Based Method for Delineating Fire Station Response Zones Using Real-Time Traffic Data. Fire 2026, 9, 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9030106

AMA Style

Wu Y, Yuan D, Liu D, Liu W, Cheng Z, Wu G, Liu K, Zou L. Block-Unit-Based Method for Delineating Fire Station Response Zones Using Real-Time Traffic Data. Fire. 2026; 9(3):106. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9030106

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wu, Yanglong, Diping Yuan, Dingli Liu, Weijun Liu, Zhe Cheng, Guohua Wu, Kang Liu, and Lei Zou. 2026. "Block-Unit-Based Method for Delineating Fire Station Response Zones Using Real-Time Traffic Data" Fire 9, no. 3: 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9030106

APA Style

Wu, Y., Yuan, D., Liu, D., Liu, W., Cheng, Z., Wu, G., Liu, K., & Zou, L. (2026). Block-Unit-Based Method for Delineating Fire Station Response Zones Using Real-Time Traffic Data. Fire, 9(3), 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9030106

Article Menu

Block-Unit-Based Method for Delineating Fire Station Response Zones Using Real-Time Traffic Data

Abstract

Share and Cite

Article Metrics

Article Access Statistics

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI