As wildfire occurrence grows globally, research on wildfire is becoming increasingly important. Comprehensive data on wildfire occurrence is crucial for understanding wildfires in a region, but in New Zealand this data can be difficult to find and is not always easily accessible. This dataset brings together the best available data on wildfire occurrence from multiple agencies into a spatial wildfire database. For each wildfire record the database contains spatial and temporal information about the fire, and the environmental and meteorological conditions the wildfire occurred under. The Wildfire Occurrence Database contains 114,142 wildfire records for the period between 1998 and 2022, as well as 2613 older wildfires dating as far back as 1931, providing a long-term study of wildfire occurrence in New Zealand. Despite limitations due to unknown accuracy and errors in the fire records, this database enables the analysis of historical wildfire occurrence and key variables known to impact fire behaviour, providing a platform to monitor and understand wildfire occurrence in New Zealand. This dataset offers a globally relevant contribution by developing transparent, repeatable methodology to consistently link wildfire occurrence records with topography, fuel, and fire weather environment variables, an integration rarely implemented in existing wildfire databases.
Per/polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure is a serious concern for firefighters, but the contribution of firefighting activities to overall PFAS body burden remains poorly understood. We hypothesized that overlooked novel PFASs may be elevated in firefighter serum after fire suppression activities. We analyzed paired "baseline" (annual checkup) and "postfire" (within 35 h of fire) serum from 33 members of the Tucson Fire Department using high-resolution mass spectrometry. We measured concentrations of 49 PFASs via targeted quantitation and detected 15 in >50% of samples. Concentrations of target analytes were not significantly different between baseline and postfire paired samples. However, branched PFOS isomers and linear PFHxS were significantly elevated compared to the general population. Suspect screening enabled the identification of 26 additional PFASs. Two tentatively identified phosphate-containing PFASs were significantly (p < 0.01) elevated postfire. These chemicals may be associated with exposure to fluorinated aryl phosphate flame retardants or their combustion transformation products during fire response. Several other novel PFASs were detected in baseline and postfire samples, including bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (bis-FMeSI). The presence of novel PFASs in serum from firefighters highlights the need for more research into their occurrence in occupationally exposed groups and the general population, exposure sources, and toxicokinetics.
Using documented fire records and monthly weather data spanning 37 years (1961-1997), we aim to explore long-term trends in the spatiotemporal variability of the relationship between fire occurrence and the Bagnouls-Gaussen aridity or xerothermic index (BGI). By examining this relationship, we test the theoretical framework of the intermediate fire-productivity hypothesis in an eastern Mediterranean country, Greece, to unveil the driving factors shaping fire activity. We particularly investigate whether the influence of drought conditions is more accentuated in the northern part of the country due to the presence of biomass-rich, rarely-dry ecosystems compared to the southern part. Two patterns in the relationships between fires and climate have been observed in Greece along a north-south gradient, which can be explained by the intermediate fire-productivity hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, fire activity presents two extremes (minima) at the ends of the fuel moisture-fuel amount gradient. The first occurs in northern Greece, in biomass-rich areas where fuels are abundant and the dominant limiting factor for fires is climate (in terms of aridity). The second occurs in southern Greece in biomass-poor ecosystems, where fires are constrained by fuel availability rather than climate. A changing pattern of forest fire-climate relationships during 1961-1997 in northern Greece is evident, probably as a result of climate change. In summary, northern Greece appears to be experiencing a climate-driven shift away from a climate-limited (moisture-limited) fire regime, while southern Greece maintains a stable, fuel-limited regime. This divergence underscores the varying impacts of climate and ecosystem characteristics on fire dynamics across Greece.
Owing to the increasing demand for research on large-scale wildfires, it is crucial to accumulate investigation records, with fire marks being a key focus in postfire investigations. In this research, we have measured the spatial distribution of char directions on stembark surfaces and the heights of fire marks at 1019 points across the wildfire burned area in Japan covering 413 hectares. The aims were to (i) characterize the spatial distributions of fire marks within a large wildfire; (ii) identify and distinguish terrain-related determinants of stembark char directions from those influenced by other factors; and (iii) elucidate the fire spread process, highlighting the advantages of ground-based surveys. The findings revealed that (A) stembark char directions exhibited contrasting trends, aligning with the upslope direction on slopes and the eastward direction on ridges, typically within 60 degrees. The eastward alignment on ridges corresponded to the leeward direction of strong regional background winds during the first day, when most of the area burned; and (B) the surface fire moved upslope from the estimated ignition point, intensified on the windy ridge, and transitioned into a crown fire. While strong westerly winds lasted only about six hours after ignition, the fire likely reached the eastern coastline.
Wildland fires are a significant source of pollution that can cause sudden changes in ground-level ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5), an exposure that has been associated with gestational blood pressure increases. However, estimating the health risks specific to wildland fire smoke PM2.5 is often encumbered by limitations to smoke plume modeling. We utilized a novel approach to estimate and characterize wildland fire smoke PM2.5 in Reno, Nevada, USA, an area prone to seasonal smoke from wildland fires. Daily, 24-h averaged, plume-specific wildland fire smoke PM2.5 concentrations were estimated at two air quality monitoring stations, and each plume was categorized by both the intensity of the source fire (high vs. low intensity) and the primary fuel type (forest, shrub/scrub, grassland, and other). Using electronic medical records (2012-2019), we identified a set of healthcare encounters of pregnant individuals, assigned these encounters to the air quality monitor closest to the maternal residential address at the time of the encounter and estimated the acute effects (0 to 3 day lag periods) of wildland fire smoke PM2.5 on maternal systolic and diastolic blood pressure measures across gestational periods using a multi-level linear regression model. We evaluated 132,570 clinical encounters with a blood pressure measurement over 22,399 pregnancies (median 4.0 measures per pregnancy). Overall, we found null associations between wildland fire smoke PM2.5 and maternal blood pressure, regardless of the lag period. However, there was evidence that suggested associations could differ between gestational exposure periods, as positive associations not meeting statistical significance criteria were observed for almost all first trimester exposures. Associations did not differ by fire intensity or fuel type. We did not find evidence for short-term associations between wildland fire smoke PM2.5 and maternal blood pressure. Similar to other studies in the field, challenges to modeling smoke plumes and subjects altering their behavior during smoke events may be impacting the analyses.
This study quantified the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential of a hypothetical harvest reduction scenario using a system approach that included ecosystem carbon dynamics with future wildfires, tracking of carbon in wood products and substitution impacts of emissions-intensive materials. A Harvest Less scenario reduced harvest volume by ∼15% and preferentially harvested stands with higher wildfire-risk while retaining lower wildfire-risk stands on the landscape. Stand selection was guided by a harvest scheduler that prioritized higher wildfire risk stands during optimization. Open-source models and publicly available datasets were used to estimate net GHG benefits relative to a forward-looking baseline. A statistical approach was used to project future area burned across distinct fire zones, enabling quantitative assessment of wildfire risk under a changing climate. The net GHG reduction associated with reduced harvest volumes varied by region and wildfire regime. Nationally, the cumulative net GHG reduction was -836 MtCO2e (80% confidence interval -820 to -854) after 40 years, with annual mitigation peaking after roughly 10 years and declining thereafter. Regions with high burn rates exhibited greater uncertainty in the climate change mitigation potential of reduced harvesting. These findings emphasize the need for a balanced forest management approach that accounts for both carbon sequestration and wildfire risk to effectively mitigate climate change.
To examine whether leadership fitness is associated with firefighter fitness within station crews. Annual fitness testing data from firefighters in a large urban fire department were analyzed. Leadership fitness was defined as the mean composite fitness score of captains and lieutenants assigned to each station-shift crew. Multilevel linear modeling evaluated whether mean crew leadership fitness and leadership composition were associated with firefighter fitness, adjusting for years of service and sex. The sample included 838 firefighters nested within 99 station-shift crews. Mean leadership fitness was positively associated with crew firefighter fitness in units staffed with both a captain and lieutenant (β=0.116, 95%CI:0.005-0.228; p=0.045), but this association was attenuated in captain-only crews. Leadership fitness was associated with firefighter fitness, particularly when fire station crews have a more complete leadership structure.
The construction of building insulation materials with high fire safety and sustainable development has become a hot research topic and urgent need in the field of architecture. However, traditional building insulation materials have the problems of flammability, inability to actively fire warning and lack of sustainable materials. Herein, polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate/Ag2Se (PSA) composite aerogels exhibiting flame retardancy, fire warning capabilities, and self-healing properties were synthesized using a double cross-linking network and a freeze-thaw cycle strategy. The synergistic effect of boric acid and Ag2Se nanoparticles significantly improved the flame retardancy of PSA aerogels. The peak heat release rate decreased by 18.2%, and the total heat release rate decreased by 41.1%. Utilizing a low thermal conductivity of less than 0.08 W·m-1·K-1, a stable temperature differential is established between the hot and cold ends. Through the thermoelectric effect of Ag2Se, a fast self-powered fire alarm within 3 s after contacting the flame is realized. Both of them improved the fire safety of PSA aerogels. Based on the natural polysaccharide sodium alginate as the matrix, the dynamic borate ester bond reconstruction is triggered by water to achieve 2 min of rapid self-healing without losing the self-powered fire warning function, which has the sustainable advantages of environmental friendliness and high durability. PSA aerogel provides an intelligent and collaborative solution for building thermal insulation materials with high fire safety and sustainable development through reversible fire warning and robust self-healing performance, which significantly promotes its practical application in the construction field.
Occupational depression is underexplored among emergency service personnel in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined the relationship between perceived organisational support (POS) and occupational depression among firefighters of the Ghana National Fire Service, the first empirical test of organisational support theory in a West African emergency services context. A total of 333 firefighters completed validated measures of POS and occupational depression. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and hierarchical regression, controlling for demographic factors. POS correlated negatively with occupational depression (r = -0.50, p < .01) and explained an additional 26.4% of variance beyond demographic predictors (β = -0.52, 95% CI [-0.33, -0.22], p < .001). Organisational support is associated with lower work-related depressive symptoms among Ghanaian firefighters. The results extend organisational support theory to collectivist, resource-constrained contexts and highlight the need for culturally responsive organisational interventions in (sub-Saharan) African emergency services.
Despite their high effectiveness in reducing material flammability, modern brominated flame retardants (BFRs) remain poorly understood with respect to the toxic substances they generate during combustion. BFRs such as 1,2-bis(pentabromodiphenyl)ethane (DBDPE) and tetrabromophthalate diol (PHT4-DIOL) have been introduced following the limitations on legacy brominated additives. However, their thermal decomposition pathways and toxic product emission profiles under real fire conditions remain poorly characterized. Exposure to elevated temperatures may promote the formation of halogenated toxicants and environmentally persistent compounds, raising concerns that extend beyond conventional fire-safety performance. The combustion behavior of DBDPE-, PHT4-DIOL-, and BFR-containing epoxy resins was investigated using a steady-state tube furnace designed to reproduce realistic fire scenarios. Controlled temperature and ventilation conditions were applied to simulate representative stages of fire. Combustion emissions were comprehensively characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) to analyze asphyxiant and irritant gases and solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) for volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds. The results presented that the incorporation of BFRs substantially altered combustion emission profiles, promoting the formation of brominated and mixed-halogenated species alongside toxic gaseous products. Significant differences in the composition and distribution of combustion byproducts were observed between non-modified and BFR-containing materials, indicating that the environmental and toxicological consequences of these additives cannot be adequately assessed solely through flammability-reduction metrics. These conclusions provide new knowledge of the environmental impacts of brominated flame retardants and highlight the importance of integrated fire-safety assessment strategies that simultaneously consider flame-inhibition efficiency, combustion toxicity, and environmental persistence.
On November 8, 2023, a fire occurred at a chemical plant near Shepherd, Texas. Ambient air monitoring using a novel, biocompatible, gelatin filter alongside proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) with both targeted and non-targeted analysis (NTA) was conducted on November 10, 2023, with seasonally matched monitoring on November 12, 2025. Concentrations of benzene, toluene and ethylbenzene/xylenes were higher near the incident site (Shepherd) compared to downwind (Livingston) following the fire. NTA revealed greater numbers of VOCs, and unique site-specific VOCs, at the incident site versus downwind just after the fire in 2023. In 2025 the number and types of VOCs did not vary across sites, suggesting an apparent site-specific VOC enrichment during the monitoring period in Shepherd post-fire. The gelatin filter, positioned upstream of the PTR-ToF-MS, enabled direct capture of airborne mixtures and subsequent dissolution into cell culture media without additional extraction steps. Trace metal analysis of these filters showed a higher burden of metals, as well as unique (barium, thulium, and samarium) and elevated metals (sodium, magnesium, iron, copper, gallium, strontium, tin, and cesium) in filters collected at Shepherd. The filtrates were then applied to human bronchial epithelial cells. Exposure to incident site filters significantly upregulated the oxidative stress-responsive gene HMOX1. These findings demonstrate that short-term exposure to real-world air pollutant mixtures induces biological responses in airway cells and highlight the utility of integrating air monitoring and novel sampling strategies with in vitro toxicity/biological activity assessment following episodic emission events.
Firefighters face elevated cardiovascular disease risk, yet most studies examine age without considering years of firefighting experience as a proxy for cumulative occupational stress. We investigated the influence of age and years of experience on cardiovascular health indices in 72 male suburban firefighters from the southeastern U.S. who completed assessments of body composition, resting blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and cardiorespiratory fitness. General linear models compared age tertiles with and without years of experience as a covariate. Multiple cardiovascular indices differed by age, with pairwise comparisons most pronounced between the youngest and oldest tertiles. When adjusting for years of experience, age effects remained only for augmentation index, whereas years of experience had a greater impact on diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and pulse wave velocity. These findings suggest occupational stressors are associated with poorer CV indices independent of age, underscoring the importance of early screening and preventive strategies in the fire service.
New-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) describes patients with no prior history of epilepsy who develop refractory status epilepticus. A subtype of NORSE with prior fever is known as febrile infection-related refractory status epilepticus (FIRES). This systematic review summarises the temporal dynamics of cytokine profiles in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) throughout the course of these conditions. We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science studies published between 1st January 2006 and 30th March 2025. Studies reporting cytokine profiles before and/or after immunotherapies in NORSE and FIRES were included. We reviewed a total of 42 studies. Interleukin (IL) IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1β were most consistently reported and showed observable temporal changes. Mean CSF levels of IL-1β increased from 1.3 ± 1.9 pg/ml at week 1 to a peak of 2.8 ± 2.5 pg/ml at week 2 and declined to 2.6 ± 2.2 pg/ml at week 3. A similar trend was noted in CSF IL-8 level, which increased from 974.7 ± 1489.7 pg/ml at week 1 to 1336.0 ± 2082.2 pg/ml at week 2, then declined to 391.1 ± 284.4 pg/ml at week 3. In contrast, CSF IL-6 level rose markedly to 349.7 ± 559.5 pg/ml at week 1 and declined substantially to 93.1 ± 182.7 pg/ml at week 2, and 83.2 ± 27.9 pg/ml at week 3. Proinflammatory cytokines in CSF were markedly elevated within the first two weeks after seizure onset, highlighting this as a critical window for cytokine profiling and the importance of interpreting cytokine levels in a time-dependent manner to guide immunotherapy in NORSE and FIRES.
In emergency evacuation scenarios, ensuring the safe and prompt evacuation of passengers is of utmost importance. Although emergency evacuation signs hold significant meaning, passengers often hesitate to comply with them during emergencies. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the psychological decision-making process that passengers undergo in these critical situations. This study focuses on subway fire emergencies and examines the psychological decision-making mechanisms influencing passengers' evacuation sign compliance (ESC) intention. To achieve this, a psychological mechanism framework model based on the protection action decision model (PADM) and the heuristic-systematic model (HSM) is constructed. The study adopts a questionnaire survey to establish a structural equation model for passengers' ESC intention, followed by mediation and moderation analyses of the predictive factors. The research findings reveal that passengers' ESC intention is positively correlated with risk perception (RP), hazard-related attributes, information seeking (IS), and systematic information processing (SIP), while being negatively associated with resource-related attribute (RRA) perception. The mediation analysis indicates that both IS and SIP act as mediators in the relationship between RP and ESC intention. Furthermore, SIP serves as a mediator between IS and ESC intention. The moderation analysis demonstrates that the importance of RRAs intensifies the negative association between RRAs and ESC intention. This research enhances our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying passengers' ESC intention and provides practical suggestions for subway engineering design and emergency management.
In Campania Region, an area known as the 'Land of Fires', has been described as an open-air dump due to the illegal discharges of toxic substances. The dog (Canis familiaris) represents a useful sentinel for tracking environmental risks. To this aim, fifty male stray dogs were enrolled, and testicular samples were processed for histological, chemical and molecular analyses. The animals were classified into four groups, from normal spermatogenesis to intratubular seminoma. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was conducted to assess metal and metalloid concentrations. Collagen deposition was assessed by Masson's trichrome and Picrosirius red staining. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses were carried out to evaluate 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD), Cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450), and the Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA). Chemical analysis revealed significant group differences for cadmium, nickel and uranium levels across all histological groups. These findings suggest a distinct testicular profile, with differential metal accumulation by lesion severity and altered steroidogenic and proliferative processes.
An intrinsically degradable polycaprolactone-based composite electrolyte with a built-in trace multifunctional flame retardant is presented to realize a truly safe polymer-based electrolyte system that tackles the long-standing environmental challenge of polymer electrolyte waste while imparting superior electrochemical performance and fire safety to solid-state batteries.
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For decades, we have viewed pancreatic fibrosis as a passive scar-the end-stage wreckage of chronic inflammation or a late accomplice of growing tumors. A recent study by He Ren and colleagues sheds critical light on the origins of the phenomenon tracing it to an unexpected cellular culprit: a rare subset of pancreatic epithelial cells that express FOXP3-a transcription factor predominantly associated with regulatory T cells. These epithelial FOXP3 (E-FOXP3) positive cells do not need oncogenic Kras or overt inflammation to ignite fibrosis. On their own, they orchestrate a glycosylation-dependent IL-6 switch that turns quiescent pancreatic stellate cells into a self-amplifying fibrotic machine. In discovering a proto-fibrogenic "trigger cell" that acts silently, long before any symptom or radiological sign, the work redefines the cellular hierarchy of pancreatic fibrocarcinogenesis. Further, the paper identifies a post-translational "sugar code" as a therapeutic foothold, and opens a long-sought preemptive window for intercepting pancreatic cancer at its most curable stage-before the desmoplastic fortress is ever built.
The recent outbreak of diphtheria in Nigeria, lasting over 18 months, is largely attributed to a lack of vaccination, but other factors may have been contributory. The study aims to describe the characteristics of cases and control measures of a localised outbreak of diphtheria in Edo State, Nigeria. This was a descriptive study of patients who met the case definition for suspected diphtheria in Edo state between May and September 2024. A multidisciplinary management strategy was instituted for sample collection, integrated disease surveillance, contact investigation, awareness creation and standard treatment protocols. Data (age, gender, immunization status, signs and symptoms, receipt of Diphtheria Antitoxin (DAT), laboratory results and outcomes) were extracted from the case notes, entered into an Excel spreadsheet and exported into an SPSS spreadsheet for analysis. Continuous data were expressed as median (IQR), categorical data were summarized as proportions, and the level of immunity was categorized into adequate and inadequate. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the University of Benin Health Research Ethics Committee with Protocol Number: ADM/22/A/VOL.VII/4831141825 and dated May 28th 2025. Of the19 suspected cases, 5(26.3%) were laboratory confirmed, and 4/5(80.0%) of the confirmed cases were older than 9 years. The commonest symptoms were catarrh12(63.2%), sore throat and neck swelling 11(57.9%) each, and fever and hoarseness 10(52.6%). The majority, 89.6% were vaccinated. Of the ten cases that had serology done, 7(70%) had inadequate immunity. No secondary cases were found on contact investigation. A multidisciplinary team approach ensured this outbreak did not spread widely. With diphtheria occurring in almost 90% of previously vaccinated children, waned immunity was likely a major contributor to this outbreak. It is recommended that booster doses be included in the immunization schedule of Nigerian children.