Dive into the complete episode list for Fire Science Show. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
Rows per page:
50
1–50 of 205
Pub. Date
Title
Duration
09 Feb 2022
037 - Human behavior misconceptions that lead to (mis)modelling with Enrico Ronchi
00:46:44
If you were investigating phenomena and built your whole narrative around a flawed and debunked concept, would that get published? Would that get cited? Would that be recognized? Many of us would say an obvious *no*, but that is not so obvious when we discuss the human behaviour field of science and the concept of panic (the p-word we do not say!). Even though among top evacuation scientists there seems to be a consensus about why this concept is flawed, every year we see more and more papers in which it is an underlining principle of the research...
And it is a symptom of a potentially worse issue. A complete misuse of models, lack of understanding of fundamentals or blind trust in data. All of these take precious time and resources from studies, that are really needed to push our understanding of human behaviour in fire forward.
Today I give the stage to Prof Enrico Ronchi, who has some tough things to say about the state of evacuation modelling in research. I think this message is important and should cause a moment of reflection on what are we doing, and is it the thing we should be doing.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
15 Feb 2022
038 - Fire resistance is not always enough for timber with Daniel Brandon
00:58:39
It is the third time we talk about mass timber and fire in this show, and I hope every time the message gets even more refined. In this episode, it is clear - fire resistance is not always enough. But why? You will learn that from dr Daniel Brandon from RISE who spent last years researching timber in fire. In this episode, we discuss the limitations of the fire resistance approach in testing timber structures, and also venture beyond it - how does exposed timber change the fire dynamics in a furnace and how in a real building? How the risk changes once you may have your structure participating in a fire, and why a 2-storey house is pretty safe, while a timber skyscraper brings challenges we have never met before.
You may also want to view other important timber-in-fire discussions from the Fire Science Show:
And also, the most spectacular - see the large timber experiments on your own, to understand what Daniel meant with "the energy must go somewhere" - check this YouTube page
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
23 Feb 2022
039 - The (near) future of modelling with a tool developer Bryan Klein
00:56:02
What does the future hold? Probably no one knows. But what happens in near future with some of the most popular tools used by the FSE community? That is a great question to a tool developer - Bryan Klein of Thunderhead Engineering, the company that brought us the most popular FDS pre-processor PyroSim and as popular evacuation model Pathfinder.
In this talk, we focus on CFD modelling, and the impact pre-and postprocessing tools had on our capabilities to tackle fire problems with our computers. Mesh resolution and creation techniques. Solver scalability and parallel processing. Most commonly requested tool additions. These are the things you will definitely find in this episode, plus much more!
And do not forget...
September 12-14, 2022 in Brno, Czech Republic. Fire and Evacuation Modelling Technical Conference. You want to be there!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
02 Mar 2022
040 - Resilient road tunnel infrastructure with Ingo Riess
00:47:33
This week I've invited a guest, that I was looking to talk to for a good while... Dr Ingo Riess from Riess Ingenieur-GmbH is someone I look up to in the field of tunnel fire safety, in which I am very active in the last few years. In this chat, we had the chance to go through the concept of tunnel resiliency and calculate the risk related to the whole road network, rather than just a tunnel on its own. This is such a refreshing concept, in which the goal - maximizing public safety - is well defined, and thanks to that, smart decisions can be made. And these decisions are not always to make the tunnel a bit safer - in some cases, it may be just better to invest in other safety infrastructure. This holistic view opens new pathways and possibilities and makes investments in fire safety really reasonable. I absolutely love it, and it is something I wish we can implement in my own country. Outside resilience, we also had a good chance to discuss the ventilation and modelling, design fires and some tough choices the engineers have to make when refurbishing tunnels. If you have anything to do with tunnels, this episode is definitely for you. And if you do not, still can be inspiring, as the world of tunnels is one the forefront of applying risk-based concepts in performance-based engineering. Something, that the rest of the world must eventually catch up.
Also, give a chance to the Graz Tunnel Safety and Ventilation conference, which always delivers the best content related to the fire safety of tunnels: https://www.tunnel-graz.at/
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
09 Mar 2022
041 - Sprinkler and safety systems reliability with Arnstein Fedoy
00:51:52
How reliable are sprinkler systems? Is it 100%? Is it 95%? Maybe it is 88%... actually, whatever the number is, do we truly understand what does it represent? What does it mean that a sprinkler has succeeded and what does it mean it failed. These are the questions that were behind my today's interview with Arnstein Fedoy. You may remember Arnstein from his short appearance in episode 26 . This time, we've had the whole episode for this discussion, and I must say it was well invested hour on my side.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
16 Mar 2022
042 - Unsafe environment of post fire scenes with Gavin Horn
01:01:06
We all understand the dangers of smoke inhalation in fires. But what about the site of the fire a few days after it was put out? It looks clean, maybe even lost the smell... Is it something to worry about, or you can rush straight in, wearing your shorts and a t-shirt? Well, I guess I would not be that reckless, but if I can be honest - I don't think I would care that much about protecting myself either... At least that was me before the talk to dr Gavin Horn from UL FSRI.
Gavin spent more than a decade investigating the environment of post-fire scenes. And these places are where many of us work, almost on daily basis. Firefighters, investigators, fire researchers, constructors and demolished... And the scenes do certainly hide some threats within. In this episode you will learn a lot about them, and how these threats change as the environment evolves. More than that, Gavin is a pretty down-to-earth guy and does not imply you should dress for an investigation in a NASA space suit. You have to balance the risks related to contamination through inhalation and absorption, with risks of overheating, falling or cutting yourself, and as well with the capability to do the actual work wearing PPE. That is not the kind of discussion I get with my own H&S experts, and I appreciate this smart and holistic view a lot.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
23 Mar 2022
043 - Some neglected areas in fire science with Vyto Babrauskas
01:13:45
It is always a pleasure to interview a true legend of fire safety. And when the topic of the interview is their thoughts on neglected areas of our discipline, based on almost five decades of experience? This must end up great! And it did (IMHO).
Please join me and prof. Vyto Babrauskas in discovering what are the parts of fire science that are in need of research. What are some obvious solutions, that I think we all acknowledge, but for some reason, we do not have? What are the dead ends and missing links... And how many of the ideas go to sleep for decades, just to be rediscovered as the field matures.
Please learn more about prof. Babrauskas on his webpage: www.doctorfire.com and his scientific paper repository at ResearchGate
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
30 Mar 2022
044 - Improving fire safety of battery systems with Ofodike Ezekoye
00:59:23
Since Episode 6, the fire safety of battery systems was not very much visible in the show - a good time to change that! And we do this with a true legend of fire safety - Ofodike Ezekoye. In the last year, I have learnt a lot about battery systems, which did not make me more afraid. Entirely opposite - the more I know, the more confident I am in fire science and engineers finding solutions for any outstanding issues with this emerging technology. In this episode, we go through the challenges at different scales of the battery system - from the chemistry of cathode, anode and electrolyte, through challenges in manufacturing and quality control, battery management systems up to the scale of whole off-grid systems. Each presents unique challenges. Each is a place of ongoing innovation.
But the most important, IMHO, is to look at the threat holistically. Even if we remove all the intrinsic dangers of energy storage, the batteries may still be there when a fire starts for other reasons... We may be able to contain the 'thermal' threats, but are we looking for solutions to the smoke? And what to do with billions of already existing batteries that we deal with everywhere in our lives... All these questions got answered here, so you don't want to miss this episode!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
06 Apr 2022
045 - Foundations of fire safety with Ruben van Coile and Danny Hopkin
00:59:48
How does one decide when a building is fire safe? That is a real hell of a question to answer! Is it when no harm can occur? But such a condition can never be fulfilled... there is always a meteor waiting around the corner to fall into your building! So if some situations can occur for which we cannot prepare, when do we decide we are 'safe enough'?
This is the tough question we try to decipher together with prof. Ruben van Coile and prof. Danny Hopkin. It is an inspiring journey, and you can trust me on this - at the end the episode gets even better!
Also, Danny was kind enough to curate this fantastic list of resources for you to read, if you would like to build a more complete idea on the concepts of risk and safety:
R. Van Coile, N. Elhami Khorasani, D. Lange, and D. Hopkin, ‘Uncertainty in Structural Fire Design’, in International Handbook of Structural Fire Engineering, K. LaMalva and D. Hopkin, Eds. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021, pp. 323–411
Also, keep your eyes open for the next edition of SFPE Handbook where my guests are publishing a new chapter on "Economics and Decision Making in Fire Risk Analysis"
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
12 Apr 2022
046 - Fire Code Tech crossover with Gus Gagliardi
00:47:46
This week we do something funny - a crossover episode with the host of the Fire Code Tech podcast - Gus Gagliardi. We end up discussing the paths of fire safety engineers, from school to specialized roles in engineering companies, and the challenges associated with that.
We hope you liked this twist to the podcast, and maybe discovered a new show to follow up! If you want to hear a familiar voice, you can start with this episode https://firecodetech.com/research-smoke-control-systems-and-cfd-with-wojciech-wgrzyski featuring yours truly :)
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
20 Apr 2022
047 - Effective pressurization of compartments with Grzegorz Sypek
00:56:52
Pressurization is a common strategy for protecting spaces against the infiltration of smoke. However, the solution has a kind-of bad press as "not-working" or "incapable to meet its design goals". We know, that the systems are as good as their design, and in this episode with my guest, Grzegorz Sypek, we try to bust some myths around PDS systems. We touch on the important design points and the properties of modern solutions available in the market. We also discuss the standardization of PDS systems in Europe, giving a glimpse into incoming EN 12101-6 and EN12101-13.
If you seek help with the design of pressurization systems for your buildings, feel free to contact Grzegorz @ gsypek@gmail.com
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
27 Apr 2022
048 - Car parks, design fires and the broad world of fire science with Mike Spearpoint
01:15:47
Did you know first car parks were built for electric vehicles? Or what clever techniques can be used to model the spread of fire between vehicles? Or what challenges scientists meet burning vehicles, and why pneumatic suspension makes stuff more interesting... These (and much much more) are the things you learn by inviting Mike Spearpoint of the OFR for a lovely chat about design fires in car parks, and car parking infrastructure in general.
But wait for it, there is much more. The hidden underlying message about the broadness of fire science, and the holistic view on how certain compartments are used today (and how it differs from their past use). Delightfully refreshing point of view! Hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
04 May 2022
049 - What burns inside a battery with Francesco Restuccia
00:56:45
So we all know batteries burn... but do we know what exactly does burn? What is inside this tiny metal cylinder that scares so many of us? We try to understand it a bit more with Dr Francesco Restuccia of Kings College London, who is an expert in battery fire safety and self-heating. And this combination of skills gave him a unique view of the challenges of fire safety of batteries - especially the ones that are stored in warehouses and not fueling anything. Francesco takes me on a journey into the world of cathodes, anodes and electrol... I mean battery juice. Knowing what is inside and why it burns is fundamental to understanding how can we protect the world from the risks arising from Li-ION batter technology. And I hope this podcast episode is a concise introduction to this!
And here is a paper choice curated by Francesco, containing the important papers discussed within the episode (because we discuss real science here! :))
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
11 May 2022
050 - Wind, fire and a surprise
01:10:08
Episode 50! Time to celebrate, and for this one we have a surprise. A mysterious host takes over the show to interview a wind and fire modelling celebrity...
Ok, this should be enough to not reveal everything once the show notes get auto-posted on all social media :) I am super happy for multiple reasons. You guys were with me 50 times on my way to share fire science with everyone who wants to listen. You have downloaded my content 25.000 times. And finally, I get to share with you some of my own science. Could not be happier! Thank you so much to Guillermo Rein for creating this opportunity for me.
I hope that the subject of my work is interesting to you. I have some papers to share, along with the most important ones that were mentioned in the episode. Psst...some of them are behind a paywall but I am MORE THAN HAPPY to share the copies with you, just send me a request through my ResearchGate profile :)
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
18 May 2022
051 - Fire Science in eyes of a firefighter with Szymon Kokot
00:52:38
In this show, we often discuss how fire science can help firefighters. Today we drop the UNO reverse card and figure out what firefighters actually need from fire science. And for that, I've got a perfect person to talk to - a firefighter, commander, instructor and a fire scientist. Szymon Kokot of the Nidzica Fire Brigade and CFBT Poland
With this talk, I wanted to achieve two answers. How firefighters view fire science (and how to make it more useful to them). And how engineers should view firefighting operations. You will learn a lot about the commanders' role and multiple not-so-obvious factors that go into consideration when battling a fire. From this talk, you will understand why risks related to high-rise (and large space) buildings are so different from simple structures.
I hope you appreciate this point of view. For me, it was very eye-opening. We need to be more sensitive to the needs of the firefighters, and more often include them in our discussion. At the same time, we need to find a way to communicate fire science and engineering to them, so they can fully benefit from the technologies we introduce with them in mind.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
25 May 2022
052 - More realism in evacuation modelling with Anne Templeton
00:50:23
You have seen these lovely evacuation simulations, the ones with a bunch of agents moving together or clumping at an exit. Ones that we use to determine ASET condition, and which are present in almost every large PBD project...
Maybe even you are running such simulations. So, with that experience in mind - have you ever wondered if what you see makes sense. We all feel that humans in groups behave differently than a bunch of units in a crowd. But to what extent that 'different' could be important? That is the question with which I have approached dr Anne Templeton from the University of Edinburgh. Anne is a renowned scientist in the field of crowd psychology. She was kind enough to tell me the difference between psychological and physical crowds and why sending students to a pub helped here quantify that. Tap into this episode if you would like to learn the new stuff we are finding about human behaviour, and how that may change our future modelling and evacuation planning.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
01 Jun 2022
404 - Host not found, throat infections suck.
00:04:55
With this lifestyle, this was inevitable... due to a busy week I had to move the schedule a bit and was pretty sure I will get away with it by recording a solo episode... but my throat has decided otherwise and I kind of cannot record a full episode. I need a week off to heal this up before the 1-year anniversary episode that I care a lot about!
In the meantime, please try and enjoy some excellent episodes from the past, which I have recommended in this short apology piece:
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
08 Jun 2022
053 - The number one skill to thrive as an FSE I've learnt in 1 year of podcasting
00:41:18
It has been one year since I started this show. I've promised you that we will learn Fire Safety Engineering together, and today comes a great time to reflect on some lessons learnt. In this episode, I will take you on a short journey through some most insightful moments in the show, that allowed me to identify the number one skill needed to thrive as a fire protection engineer.
What is that skill? Well press the play button and find it for yourself! The answer is 35 minutes away, and I promise this will not be a time wasted.
In this episode I have repurposed parts of other excellent interviews, each of them worth a listen (or a re-listen):
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
15 Jun 2022
054 - The sustainability talk, tunnels and fire safety with Arnold Dix (part 1)
00:55:20
A few episodes ago I called for better communication in fire safety. And in this episode, tunnel fire safety legend Prof. Arnold Dix is answering that, by teaching us the ways of the 'sustainability' talk - how to communicate better having the global sustainability goals in mind? But it is not only a way of communication. It is a mindset. And it is a powerful one, leading to a rethink of the concept of safety and how one is delivered. A rejuvenating perspective in which we are mindful of our solutions and the goals we wish to achieve.
It may be too good to be true, but then again... it is not the first time the tunnelling industry is ahead of the curve. We are still discussing how to deal with risk methods, while for a long time it is a standard approach in tunnelling. We still wonder if buildings really need to survive burnout, while tunnelling talks about resiliency. We wonder which plume model to use in our atria, while tunnelling fully embraces PBD. These are just some examples, but they really highlight how this industry is on the leading edge in innovative and disruptive ways for fire safety.
I hope you will enjoy this episode. There is a lot we can learn from the tunnelling industry, that we can implement at every end of fire safety. And if you like this talk I have good news for you! Next week, join us for part 2. Innovative approaches in transportation, how will they change our cities and the landscape of fire protection engineering! An episode not to be missed.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
22 Jun 2022
055 - The future is exciting with Arnold Dix (part 2)
00:59:11
I once said the future looks stupid... but after this discussion with Arnold Dix, I know - future is exciting. And for Fire Safety Engineers and others involved in fire protection - the future seems to be super exciting! In this episode, we let go and try to discuss the future tech in the world of tunnelling. From autonomous vehicles in tiny (and seems a bit dangerous) tunnels, McDonnaldization of TBM's, Hyperloops to city concepts build all the way around humans (and tunnels!). This is a future to look for, and I hope to live through at least some of these inventions. They will not come without challenges, but that is the point of being an engineer, right?!
This is the second part of two-piece interview with Professor Arnold Dix. If you can't get enough of Arnold (like me), I have great news for you. There are six episodes of the Tunneling Journal podcast exclusively with Arnold, that you can listen here: https://tunnellingjournal.com/podcasts-tunnelling-journal/
Highly recommended!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
29 Jun 2022
056 - Performance Based Fire Protection Engineer with David Stacy
00:55:27
How does being a volunteer firefighter improve your abilities to do Performance-Based Design (PBD) and how your knowledge in PBD may translate to firefighting? That is not a question you can ask to every fire protection engineer, but luckily - David Stacy is one who can answer that fully. Tapping into his unique skillset and career path I try to extract answers on how does one translate firefighting experience into improved design. Where does he see the most immediate gain (duh - communication!), and how does a fire safety engineer seek knowledge.
And knowing that Dave builds his own machines and does his CFD, I would not be myself if we eventually did not venture into world of CPU's, BIM and difficult choices when managing uncertainties in commercial and scientific projects.
Join us in this multi-faceted episode, and hopefully enjoy the talk between two fire safety engineers, who are absolutely passionate about their work.
Oh, and make sure to check Dave's company - Performance Based Fire Protection Engineering webpage. Lots of great resources and more of them coming!
https://www.pbfpe.com/
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
06 Jul 2022
057 - Structural fire engineering with Thomas Gernay
00:54:44
The subject of structural fire engineering was long overdue in the podcast schedule. But once I finally got it on my agenda, I made sure to interview one of the very best there are - prof Thomas Gernay of John Hopkins University. Not only a structural engineer and researcher, but also one of the developers of SAFIR® - one of most popular structural fire engineering numerical codes out there.
In this discussion I get to ask some important questions on the role structural fire engineering plays in engineering modern buildings, and Thomas makes the point that it it the way forward in understanding the building performance in a holistic way. I learn about FDS-SAFIR integration (which is superb interesting!), challenges with new materials and the development of design fires (hint - travelling fires get a ton of mention, so be sure to also tag episode 27 with Guillermo Rein on them!). And as usual, in the end, we geek on the future of fire science and technology. God, I love these discussions so much!!!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
13 Jul 2022
058 - Animal pyrocognition - a path to undestand our beginnings with fire with Ivo Jacobs
00:30:26
Have you wondered how fire science started? But I mean the real real start... not 1666 one, nor the one when we've started to build furnaces... The start when the first evolutionary ancestor of homo sapiens figured out this warm bright thing could be used to process food. The start when this bright thing was protected and used intentionally. The bright thing that was so important for our kind, that the proof for this relationship can be found literally in our anatomy...
The best way to study this origin would obviously be a time machine. I don't have that. But I have the second-best thing - a real scientist Dr Ivo Jacobs studying the relationship between animals and fire, to uncover how our ancestors could have learnt how to behave at the fire and how to use fire to their advantage. There is not much fire safety engineering in this episode, but there is something really magical to learning how impactful that thing we study was for our kind. And I hope you will really enjoy this.
And if this sparked your interest, go on and check these great resources:
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
20 Jul 2022
059 - Residential fire safety with Dan Madrzykowski and Charlie Fleischmann
00:56:07
How much the fire scene at households has changed over the last 30 years? Why modern furniture burns worse than one made with wood, cotton and other natural materials? And what does that mean to firefighting? What challenges do modern firefighters face fighting residential fires... There is so many questions to be asked about residential fires, and in this episode, I answer a lot of them with the firefighting research legends - Dan Madrzykowski of the UL Fire Safety Research Institute and professor Charlie Fleischmann from the University of Canterbury.
After listening to this episode you must check the website of the UL FSRI! That is a vault fille with fire science gold, not to be missed by anyone passionate about fire safety.
And if you are here to find some info about the Fire Hose Prop we have discussed, seek no more - just follow this link to learn all about it.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
27 Jul 2022
060 - How PV panels change the fire behaviour of roofs with Jens Kristensen
00:44:14
[March 2023 update] The Thesis PDF is finally available! Check it here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369141515_Fire_risk_associated_with_photovoltaic_installations_on_flat_roof_constructions_-_Experimental_analysis_of_fire_spread_in_semi-enclosures
If a PV panel is fire safe, and the roof is fire safe, what is the outcome of a panel placed on the roof? Not a great surprise that merging two things that meet their requirements within their respectable eco-systems gives a not such a fire-safe outcome after all... This is the difference between considering systems versus product characteristics, and in relation to the fire safety of PV panels, something truly unique to my today's guest - dr Jens Steemann Kristensen.
Jens has gone a long way from burning PV panels in a cone calorimeter to trying to understand the holistic behaviour of panels placed on the roof. Join me in learning about his journey, his doubts and findings, and most importantly - some really interesting findings in how the issue of fire-safe PV roofs can be solved.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
02 Aug 2022
061 - Glazing in fire with Yu Wang
00:48:55
The relation between ventilation conditions and fire severity is quite a fundamental one. You don't even have to be a fire safety engineer to realize that more air means a bigger fire. But how does air get into the compartment fire in the first place?
Through broken windows of course!
And here we come to the subject of today's episode. Because with all the considerable improvements in glazing technologies for building facades, is it really okay to assume that the glazing has failed and all we are left is a giant hole that allows the air flow inside? How does the glass fail, and when and what exactly are the consequences of this failure? These are the questions asked to professor Wang Yu of the State Key Laboratory of Fire Science (SKLFS) at USTC, China. Yu takes me through his research from his PhD at Edinburgh, and through more recent experiments carried out by his group in China. We discuss FEM modelling of glass and some specific behaviour of modern glazing technologies exposed to different kinds of fires.
If you would like to learn more about this fundamental topic, here are some great further reading resources (Yu has so far 29 papers on this subject and these are just the tip of the iceberg!):
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
10 Aug 2022
062 - BIM (not only for fire) with Peter Thompson and Rino Lovreglio
01:00:39
It does not matter if you hate or love BIM, does not matter if you use it daily or have no idea what it is... Building Information Modelling will be an important part of our engineering future and we better get used to it. In this episode, I talk to Peter Thompson of GHD, who had previously worked at Autodesk as a Revit developer, and prof. Ruggiero Lovreglio, a teacher of computer methods in design at Massey University. Having two experts - one a developer, and the other a user of BIM I try to get balanced answers on what BIM means for Fire Safety Engineering and how will it impact our future. And I must say I am surprised by the answers - I was pretty sure we will spend an hour talking about issues with transferring the models, but after this talk, this whole BIM environment seems like a pretty good idea!
I hope you will also enjoy this journey through the near and a bit future of BIM technology. Looking forward to hear back from you about your BIM journeys, thoughts and ideas on how make this the technology of the future FSE.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
17 Aug 2022
063 - Why do we need a handbook of fire and the environment with Brian Meacham and Margaret McNamee
00:56:45
Do we need another fire handbook? If so, what handbook would that be? I guess a question like this must have gone through Brian Meachams' mind when he got the idea for a handbook of fire and environment. And he got a brilliant co-editor - Margaret McNamee to support him in this tough work. The effect - a complete piece on the environmental effects of fires - but beyond just smoke and contamination. A piece that deals with the complexities of the modern world, sustainability and resilience. One that considers product lifecycle assessment as much as the toxicity of its combustion products. A holistic view gives us fire engineers a different lens to view our work through.
In this episode, I interview Brian and Margaret on why this handbook came to life. That why is probably the most important question to be asked. If there was no reason, why go through all this effort to structurize and condense the knowledge we have so far amassed? If why does not exist, why would anyone go through the hassle of considering one more (difficult) thing in their project?
Well, I hope I won't spoil the episode, but the why exists. And it is a pretty good one. And to learn it, you have to dig into this episode!
It is behind a paywall, but many universities and institutes should have free access!
The publisher describes this handbook as: The fundamental purpose of this handbook is to raise awareness about the environmental impacts of fire and fire suppression, primarily within the fire engineering and firefighting communities, but also within the environmental engineering and planning disciplines. The Handbook provides readers with a fundamental understanding of the problem and its magnitude and includes a set of tools and methods for assessing environmental, social and financial impacts, and a set of tools for identifying and selecting appropriate mitigation options.
Presents previously unavailable material on identification, assessment and mitigation of environmental fires
Facilitates readers with knowledge in one area to focus on topics where they lack expertise
Extensively cites detailed studies and reports to support in-depth study in each of the topic areas
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
24 Aug 2022
064 - Heat stress in fires - from inside and outside with Denise Smith and Gavin Horn
01:03:13
This amount of heat flux for this amount of time, routine conditions, check, done. This is how I used to do my engineering and tenability assessment related to heat stress... up till today when prof Denisse Smith and prof Gavin Horn took me on a bumpy journey into the physiology of humans in fire conditions and in personal protective equipment (PPE). It is astonishing, that the stress on the body of the firefighter may be as great from the fire as from their own heat generation due to work being done. If you think about it - it is obvious. PPE protects the heat transfer...both ways! You won't heat up, but you cannot really cool down either.
This is something that every firefighter knows (feels), but why we - fire engineers should think about that? When we design a building, we design it for firefighter accessibility. We provide them with tools to reach the place of fire and begin efficient extinguishing actions. But what if just getting to the place where the fire is, is so physically exhausting, that efficient actions are unlikely to be carried out? Do we ever think that when we design a risky environment on the 30th floor or 5 floors below the ground? Or when our landscrapers have such vast walking distances, that mistaking an entrance may be an error that costs you dozens of minutes? Boy was I uneducated in this regard, and I am really thankful to Denisse and Gavin for teaching me some really important lessons they have learnt through decades of experiments in this field.
If you would like to learn more, you should check out the websites of their respective institutions, as they are filled with great resources on this subject:
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
31 Aug 2022
065 - Understanding mesh sensitivity and model uncertainties with Jason Floyd
00:56:15
Will a higher resolution mesh make my CFD more accurate? That is a harmless question, and most of us would tend toward 'I guess yeah'. But let us try and unpack this. Into atoms! What does higher resolution mean? How exactly solver deals with increased spatial discretization and what are the exact consequences of that? What is a high resolution for a tiny orifice and what is a high resolution for a road tunnel? But it gets better... What makes CFD more accurate? Is it better alignment with experimental data - if so, do you know the experimental and numerical uncertainties that allow you to actually compare them? If not, how can you tell if the second try in the mesh sensitivity study is a disturbing result or something well within the numerical uncertainty?
Oh boy, such a simple question and so many things to answer.
And you have guessed it - that is what we are trying to do in this podcast episode with dr Jason Floyd of the UL Fire Safety Research Institute. And on top of that, you will learn a ton about mesh sensitivity and model uncertainties. You will also know why some models are more difficult than others - especially when you start to play with fluid-solid interaction and pyrolysis.
This episode was inspired by Bryan Klein - props to Bryan! He was a guest on the podcast and we have covered a very similar topic in it - you may want to listen to it as well! The trigger to make this episode came from the issue tracker, and you may want to check that thread as well
If you have some great podcast episode ideas, let me know! I'll get this done, I'm doing this whole thing for you.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
07 Sep 2022
066 - Fire Safe Use of Wood in Buildings with Andy Buchanan
00:58:49
I wonder if we will be ever able to say: we know exactly how to build fire-safe buildings with mass timber. However that day may never come, each day of research brings us a little bit closer to achieving this goal. And some days - like the one in which Andy Buchanan and Birgit Östman published their open access handbook on fire-safe use timber, we definitely leap towards success!
In today's episode, I'm interviewing prof. Andy Buchanan on his thoughts on fire-safe use of timber, in relation to the handbook published recently (Book website). We discuss why some buildings bring more challenges than others, and how different the mass timber compartment fire can be from a contemporary noncombustible structure. What do we know about the behaviour of timber, how engineers can predict that behaviour and how that knowledge is put into practice? This episode is not about the book, it is about a mindset of how to safely approach the challenges lying ahead.
Oh, and about that book I've mentioned... The best part - the Authors and sponsors have paid for it and it is accessible online. No tricks. You can download the pdf right here. Enjoy!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
14 Sep 2022
067 - Next-gen smoke control experimental facility and a digital twin with Grzegorz Krajewski
00:36:23
We've felt a bit awkward about how FSE handles smoke control in corridors. If you look closely into common practices, they rarely do include impressive engineering - more often you see some 'tips and tricks' that make the CFD simulations work out and systems are accepted. Doors opening/closing in specific timeline points, heat source sizes or soot generation parameters... I agree it does not necessarily mean that all the systems are designed wrongfully, or they do not provide safety... but in fact - how can we tell what they provide if we are not evaluating them in a clear and robust way?
In this episode, I talk to my colleague from the ITB - Dr Grzegorz Krajewski, about a next-generation smoke control experimental facility that has just been built at the ITB. From this talk, you will learn what doubts we have about the modern approach to designing smoke control in corridors, how we want to study it with our new facility and how you can take part in defining a new 'point zero' for the future of the smoke control.
If you like what you hear, and you would like us to conduct a specific experiment in the new facility, please reach us! We will do everything we can to run it.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
21 Sep 2022
068 - Human walking speed and factors that influence it with John Gales
00:59:26
What factors influence the walking speed of an occupant? Is it just their physiology and crowd density? It seems it is more complicated than that (as most things are in fire science...). Dr John Gales of York University takes me on a journey through their extremally interesting research on anthropomorphic data and movement speeds, which they have been extensively carrying through the last years. You will learn why the crowd at a football match will have a different characteristic than one attending American football (handegg?). Why evacuation is quicker in torrential rain than in fire, and how stimuli may drive the walking speeds as well. And how a beer tent helped uncover that!
John has mentioned a lot of resources that may be of interest.
Chin, K., Young, T., Chorlton, B., Aucoin, D., and Gales, J., (2022) Crowd Behaviour in Canadian Football Stadia - Part 1 - Data Collection. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering (Canadian Science Publishing). 49 (7)
Chin, K., Young, T., Chorlton, B., Aucoin, D., and Gales, J., (2022) Crowd Behaviour in Canadian Football Stadia - Part 2 - Modelling Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering (Canadian Science Publishing). 49 (7)
Yerushalami, A., Folk, L., Carton, H., Gales, J., Khan A., Weckman, B. (2022) Fire Evacuation Modelling of a Canadian Wildland Urban Interface Community. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering (Canadian Science Publishing). 49 (1)
Arce, S., Jeanneret, C., Gales, J, Antonellis, D., and Vaiciulyte, S. (2021) Human Behaviour in Informal Settlement Fires in Costa Rica. Safety Science (Elsevier). 142. 105384.
Young, T., Gales, J, Kinsey M, and Wong W. (2021) Variability in Stadia Evacuation under Normal, High-Motivation, and Emergency Egress. Journal of Building Engineering (Elsevier). 40
Folk, L., Gonzales, K., Gales, J., Kinsey, M, and Carratin, E. and Young, T. (2020) Emergency Egress for the Elderly in Care Home Fire Situations. Fire and Materials (John Wiley). 44(4): 595- 606.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
28 Sep 2022
069 - Challenging fires at the wildland-urban interface (WUI) with Michael Gollner
00:59:46
Why so many researchers are spending their time tackling fire issues at the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)? What is so challenging about this? We always lived near nature, why today this emerges as one of the 'hottest' topics of fire science? As my today's guest Prof. Michael Gollner says - you need a very bad combination of weather and vegetation conditions to create a really bad fire. However, these conditions are occurring more and more often - in California they are not even considering fire seasons anymore, but wildfires become a threat all year round. I don't want to jump to unsupported conclusions, but damn, the prominence of wildfires seems to be the consequence of climate change that we will see soonest, and will hurt us a lot.
In this episode, we take fire engineers into the world of WUI. We try to narrow down WHY fires coming from the outside are so dangerous and so different from threats we know. We discuss the paradigms of fire safety engineering and WUI preparedness, including defendable zones, threats from firebrands and the effects of wildfire smoke on the occupants.
Finally, Michael shares with me his own experience with evacuating from a wildfire - a disturbing and interesting perspective of a fire scientist experiencing this first-hand.
Please take a look at these wildfire and WUI resources:
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
05 Oct 2022
070 - Fire resistance is whatever you want it to be with Piotr Turkowski
00:56:45
Today we talk fire resistance, but unlike you have ever heard. Join me and Dr Piotr Turkowski - two fire laboratory professionals in an honest discussion about their craft. The challenges in standardization and committee work, discoveries in laboratories that are very tough to implement in the test method design, and sometimes unscientific approaches which are necessary for a market consensus. All the challenges that make us view fire resistance in a different way than you may have.
A video of our lab, if you are curious on how the biggest furnaces we talked about look like
The paper about the steel beam that Piotr has mentioned
The paper about the shear response of deep precast/prestressed concrete hollow core slabs subjected to fire
The paper about the intumescent reaction mechanisms
The paper about modifying the insulation criterion
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
12 Oct 2022
071 - Risk as a tool for thinking with Ruben van Coile
00:56:59
When thinking about 'risk' do you view it as a tool? I usually thought about it as a concept or maybe as a measure of 'how safe my building is?', but I have not really appreciated how beneficial it might be when used in such a way. Once you take it in its basic form - presentation of probabilities and consequences of fires in your buildings, you may use it to find answers to questions, that are a struggle to answer in another way. You can understand the performance of your building, its shortcomings and strengths.
I did not find this out on my own. It just had an amazing guest - prof. Ruben van Coile, outlined the risk concept for me, so I could discover it once again. And here, we both welcome you to join us in this discovery.
As you are done with this episode, I definitely recommend episode 45 where Ruben van Coile and Danny Hopkin discuss how risk can be used to determine the foundations of fire safety. If you liked this one, episode 45 is for you.
I will also shamelessly copy the list of resources provided the last time, as they are as relevant to this episode:
R. Van Coile, N. Elhami Khorasani, D. Lange, and D. Hopkin, ‘Uncertainty in Structural Fire Design’, in International Handbook of Structural Fire Engineering, K. LaMalva and D. Hopkin, Eds. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021, pp. 323–411
Also, keep your eyes open for the next edition of SFPE Handbook where my guests are publishing a new chapter on "Economics and Decision Making in Fire Risk Analysis"
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
19 Oct 2022
072 - Extracting the secret of IMFSE from Bart Merci and Eulalia Planas
01:01:00
Many creators will not agree, but in some cases, copying is the highest form of admiration. And there are things in Fire Safety Engineering that are more than worthy of being copied. One of them is the famous International Masters in Fire Safety Engineering course, carried together by the Universities of Ghent, Edinburgh, Lund and a new member - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. And from what I've just learned from one of the masterminds - Prof. Bart Merci and Prof. Eulalia Planas- they do not mind that.
Of course, starting a second IMFSE is probably not feasible, but let us focus on WHY this particular programme is so successful. What makes this group of people so sought on the job market, and so competent when pursuing careers in academia? How is this programme so consistent, year after year, delivering world-class fire engineers? We try to isolate the little things that differentiate this programme from others in the world, so copying their success is a little easier. This episode is for anyone who is seeking an answer to the question, of what makes a great fire engineer.
If you are in a (lucky!) position to choose your MSc course, make sure to consider applying to IMFSE at www.imfse.be If I was making that decision today, I would not hesitate for a second!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
26 Oct 2022
073 - Smoke control in shopping malls - uncommon aspects that make or break the system
00:40:32
Long before I started the podcast, my bread and butter was to find clever ways to remove smoke from shopping malls. Actually, I like to believe I was pretty good at the job, given the fact some of the biggest projects in Eastern Europe successfully made their way through our office. At some point (after reading Roger Harrisons PhD thesis) I figured out there is some science in the stuff we are doing in our engineering, and that day I turned into a scientist. This idea turned into passion, and passion into quite an intense research that ended up with a PhD.
What matters in this journey is not the profits or titles I've received, but my own transformation. From someone seeking to optimize a system through improving assumptions for my analytical models and some more advanced calculation methods, to someone who appreciates the complexity of airflow in a labyrinthine mall. And some conclusions of this journey I would like to share with you. What I think are the uncommon things that make or break a smoke control system in a mall? Listen to the episode and you will find out (TL:DR - design fire, architecture, inlets, architecture and outlets :))
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
02 Nov 2022
074 - Engineering not magic, intumescent coatings with Andrea Lucherini
00:52:52
Intumescent coatings are not magic. They are a product of amazing engineering, a theatre of thermophysical properties that create an insulative layer that sometimes is the only thing holding fire from destroying a structure. A chemical masterpiece in which the onset of swelling is chosen so that the paint layer is soft just when the chemical compound used to foam starts releasing gasses. Sharing many features with natural carbon-made materials, they char and oxidize. And once you start modelling them, you soon realize how crazy the solid heat transfer can become when you change not only the thermal conductivity but also the size of your body. Boy, what a complexity in a sub-millimetre layer of paint!
To learn all about them, I have invited dr Andrea Lucherini of FRISSBE and Ghent University, who mastered them in his MSc and PhD. Andrea covers in detail all the mag... I mean engineering that goes into an intumescent coating and shares his own journey in this world.
In this episode, we have referenced episode 70 with Piotr Turkowski - fire resistance. If you have not heard it, it's a good moment to catch up.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
09 Nov 2022
075 - Spacecraft fire safety with David Urban
00:57:29
Dear Terrestial Fire Engineers, let me take you on a journey that will make you experience fire engineering like nothing on our planet. Because in fact, it is the fire engineering of spacecraft for their operations in a zero-gravity environment. The environment in which the most fundamental aspects of fire engineering (think about smoke cannot go up when there is no up!) are being challenged. Where fire physics is completely different, and where things that are necessary for humans (oxygen, clothes...) become a major risk factor.
From my today's guest, Dr David L. Urban of NASA Glenn Research Centre, we will learn about the catastrophical fires that shaped the space industry. We get introduced to testing methods and fire safety engineering solutions commonly used on older and modern spaceships, and also try to take on the issue of fire safety of beyond-Earth human habitats.
I'm not sure how much practical engineering you will learn, but I am more than sure that you will enjoy this thoroughly. And maybe one day, you can pursue a career in space fire engineering...Who knows!
Cover picture credit: NASA Glenn Research Centre https://www.nasa.gov/feature/studying-flame-behavior-in-microgravity-with-a-solid-high-five
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
16 Nov 2022
076 - Experiments that changed fire science pt. 1 - Dalmarnock Fire Tests Round Robin study with Guillermo Rein and Wolfram Jahn
01:03:40
Welcome to a mini-series of episodes on experiments that changed fire science. In the first episode, we cover the a prioiri and posteriori modelling task within the Dalmarnock Fire Experiments programme carried out by the BRE Centre for Fire Safety Engineering at the University of Edinburgh. The whole experimental programme was led by prof. Jose Torrero. In this episode, we focus on two modelling tasks within the programme, that lead to a major shift in how modern modelling tools are used in fire engineering.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
23 Nov 2022
077 - Informal settlements - we need solutions not gadgets, Richard Walls
00:54:04
Delivery of fire safety to one billion inhabitants of informal settlements cannot be done through a single solution. No magical extinguishing ball nor hyper-sensitive sensor can solve this issue. As it is not a single issue - it is dozens of overlapping problems spanning from the availability of materials, how structures are built and how the urban landscape can be planned and managed. It is related to how society is managed, what role models are presented to them and what resources they have to fight fires... in fact, it is much much more. This is what we have discussed with prof. Richard Walls of Stallenbosch University in South Africa. Richard's group is leading in efforts to understand the science behind the informal settlement fires (and participated in the notable IRIS project by the University of Edinburgh, which is something you should also check here).
As discussed in the episode, Richard's group has prepared Fire Safety Engineering Guidelines, which can be accessed here for free! Please check it out and share it with those who may benefit from it.
If you have missed the episode with Danielle Antonellis, please check it in here.
Check out the free training series and documentaries on battling fires in informal settlements at Stallenbosch University Fire Group (FireSun) youtube (preview for the guests of Fire Science Show, soon to be released to the public!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi21ZyVLOWI
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
30 Nov 2022
078 - Experiments that Changed Fire Science pt. 2 - BRE Cardington with Tom Lennon
00:52:59
If Dalmarnock was the reality check for fire modelling, we could call the work carried by BRE at Cardington the birthplace of Structural Fire Engineering. Welcome to episode 2 of Experiments that Changed Fire Science!
In this episode dr Tom Lennon from BRE takes us to a journey through the massive experimental programmes carried at BRE Cardington facility. A former aircraft hangar turned into a testing ground for ENTIRE BUILDINGS. That is what was the most unique for the programme - instead of focusing on single elements of the building (which we had been doing for ~150 years at that point) we did observe, touch and measure the behaviour of the entire structure. We did learn a lot from that... From understanding membrane actions, and the alternative load paths in structures, through validation of the natural fire Eurocode model to building a massive database still used to this day to verify and validate modern tools of structural fire engineering. Without Cardington, fire science would not be here. So please join me in this and listen to Tom's recollection of the glorious days of the fire science, at Cardington.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
05 Dec 2022
QA#1 - November 2022
00:36:50
Welcome to Questions & Answers session 01 covering the topics brought up in November 2022.
In this session you can find answers to the following questions:
Fire resistance of joints asked by Millie Wan (answered by Piotr Turkowski) - jump to 1:41
Fire detection in car parks asked by Elena Funk - jump to 11:10
Balancing safety and architectural beauty asked by Ekonudim Friday - jump to 15:51
Comment on driving fire safety in Iran by Neda Farhoudi - jump to 21:34
Smoke control strategies for boutique shops in malls asked by Szymek Matkowski - jump to 27:00
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
07 Dec 2022
079 - Timber columns failure in the decay phase with Thomas Gernay and Jochen Zehfuss
00:48:50
When the flaming combustion stops and the raging inferno disappears, the environment is still far away from a stable, stationary state. The heat emitted by the fire and accumulated by the structural elements is still on the move, travelling through the members until it gets eventually dissipated. As parts of the structure get heated, some processes will occur, that may influence their load-bearing capacity and other properties. This is nothing new, we recognize this as an obvious process within the so-called "decay" phase of the fire.
What is new, though, are some recent observations related to the behaviour of timber elements in this phase of the fire. Today's guests Thomas Gernay and Jochen Zehfuss (along with a team that I call EU Fire All-Star Team) have performed a very precise study in which they have shown on one example the exact conditions in which the load-bearing capacity is lost in the decay phase by a column. If you missed that, they made quite an impression on LinkedIn (check the post and discussion here). In their experiments carried out within a well-controlled furnace environment, the variable they played with was the duration of the heating phase. It allowed them to find out two separate behaviours - one in which the column collapses in the decay phase, and one (not very different) in which the collapse does not happen. To learn more, please join us in the episode, and for sure - read the research paper provided in here.
If you would like a quick insight, I will also steal some text from Thomas's post on LinkedIn, as he did a great job summarizing their research. So here is his short comment:
"Two of the columns were subjected to ISO 834 heating until failure. They failed after 55 and 58 min (-> standard fire resistance).
Two other columns were subjected to 15 min of ISO 834 heating followed by controlled cooling. Flames self-extinguished after 40 min. But the columns still failed during the cooling phase, respectively after 98 and 153 min.
The load on the timber columns was constant throughout the tests. What changes between 15 min (end of heating) and 153 min (failure)? Heat transfer. The temperature of the inner parts of the column section continues increasing. Hence the strength continues decreasing.
Flaming and charring are not necessary for this inner temperature increase. And the absence of flaming is not a good predictor that the column is safe (see video).
By better understanding these phenomena, we can design to account for them - and achieve safe and resilient timber designs, including for burnout resistance when needed. Numerical modelling can support this objective. But simple methods based on charring rate fall short because they don't account for the slow heat transfer processes during the cooling phase."
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
14 Dec 2022
080 - Adaptive Fire Testing: A new foundation stone for fire safety (ERC StG Grant) with Ruben van Coile
00:48:50
Today is a great day to celebrate with Prof Ruben van Coile of Ghent University, who is most likely the first representative of Fire Safety Engineering to receive a grant within the European Research Councill Starting Grant scheme. It is not common to celebrate a grant award this much - usually, we would wait till the work gets done and we see the effects... But not here. ERC is something else. ERC is a place for the bravest proposals brought by the brightest minds of science. And even that does not guarantee success when you have to pass 9-12 independent reviewers and a multiple-stage recruitment process... But it seems to be worth it. A five-year funding scheme that allows a truly grand design to be pursued.
And this exactly is the case with the framework proposed by prof. van Coile. He is not the first one to recognize we need a new foundation stone for fire safety, but he surely is one of those who give the clearest and most achievable pathway on how to get there. I highly recommend this episode to all fire safety engineers, not to just learn about the grant Ruben has just obtained, but to view the current state of FSE through the lens of this proposal. As it does, in an excellent way, highlight the shortcomings and failures of modern fire engineering.
Join us in this talk, and if you would like to read more about the grant, here is its official abstract (and near future will bring material for sure!).
Proposal Summary Adaptive Fire Testing: A new foundation stone for fire safety (AFireTest) The current fire safety paradigm is based on a set of standardized tests which have been developed as part of a prescriptive design framework, and do not provide in-depth understanding of construction products’ fire performance. The resulting incomplete fire performance characterization hampers the much needed innovation in the built environment. The current fire safety paradigm also places tremendous emphasis on the expertise of controlling bodies (AHJ), making them responsible both for the specification of detailed prescriptive rules, and for the acceptance of performance based designs. This is unsustainable in the face of innovation.
AFireTest strives to induce a paradigm shift in fire safety science and engineering (FSSE). The core of AFireTest is the development of Adaptive Fire Testing whereby optimum fire tests are determined from the infinite number of possible test specifications through the maximum expected net information gain (Value of Information, VoI). This will be developed using modern glazing and load bearing glass as innovative case study, resulting in breakthroughs in fire performance understanding. Secondly, a framework for advanced ‘grey’ surrogate modelling will be developed, combining the pattern identification strengths of machine learning with fundamental FSSE constraints. This will introduce a powerful new tool to FSSE and enable the VoI optimization. A grey modelling approach will also be developed for quasiinstantaneous building specific risk evaluations, allowing a new approach to the AHJ acceptance of fire designs. The future operationalization of the new framework for fire design acceptance will require large follow-up investments. Thus, stakeholder buy-in is crucial. Therefore, AFireTest will develop a methodology for the cost-benefit evaluation of fire safety frameworks. For the first time, fire safety approaches will be evaluated from the perspective of Law and Economics, laying the groundwork for an entirely n
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
21 Dec 2022
081 - The origins of FDS with Kevin McGrattan
00:56:15
Has it ever crossed your mind how would our discipline look like, if we did not have Fire Dynamics Simulator? Maybe you had an opportunity to discuss CFD with colleagues from other disciplines, to find their faces in shock and awe that the fire community actually has its own, FREE AND OPEN SOURCE, validated and fully recognized solver? A testimony to the impact of FDS may be the citation count on its user guide, which has recently exceeded 5.000 citations! The FDS code is something special and our little scientific community can feel proud that a tool of this magnitude was built just for us!
But it did not build itself. There is a history of giants paving the route with their low-Mach number approximation of Navier-Stokes. There is my today's guest - Dr Kevin McGrattan who saw the need and built the first iteration of FDS (and still leads its development 20 years later). And there is a team of brilliant scientists at NIST, VTT and other parts of the world, who shared this dream of a robust, open-access fire simulator, and volunteered their hard work into making this dream a reality.
In this podcast episode, we focus on the very early days of FDS (or even before it came to life). My mission was to learn how FDS was built, what the landscape looked like back then and how it was growing. When particular important sub-models came into existence and what triggered that. We also learn what were the goals for the tool development and how did they evolve over the years as the project got more and more serious. You may be surprised by some very simple explanations beyond some very tough design decisions!
I hope you enjoy this episode. Please appreciate dr Kevin McGrattan and the hard work done at NIST, VTT and other places, that enabled us to have something really special. Our solver. Fine tuned for fire and open to all.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
28 Dec 2022
082 - Experiments that changed fire science pt. 3 - WTC Investigation with Kevin McGrattan
00:42:36
Fire science is often accelerated by tragedies. The same goes for the tools we are using and the methods we know. In the early 2000's we already had some great tools, in fact, it was the era where the paradigm of fire modelling shifted from zone models to emerging CFD (listen to episode 81 to learn more about this shift). But these new capabilities soon went through a significant test - a terrorist attack in New York, bringing two iconic skyscrapers to collapse. An overwhelming media turmoil. Can jet fuel melt steel beams? Can fire take down a skyscraper? Why both have collapsed and why in this order? And on top of that, everyone suing everyone.
To appreciate the challenge, let's contemplate the tools of that time (FDS). You have a giant building to model - what do you do? You cut it into smaller meshes and run on multi CPU's. Easy right? Nope. Not there yet. Defining parameters of fuel? Pyrolysis model? Nope, not really. Transferring data out to FEM software? Ha, you wish. Go and program that from scratch. At least you have it easy with Adiabatic Surface Temperature right? (...)
Yup, it was a very young solver given a very mature task. But they did it. They programmed what was needed to program. They used the cleverest techniques to calibrate models. They have used fire experiments to approximate the fire growth... and in the end, they achieved something they can proudly call a reconstruction of the WTC fire. All in the shadow, not talking to anyone (remember everyone suing everyone part?). I think even today this would be a massive and challenging project. But for the early 2000's it is an engineering masterpiece.
Join me and Kevin McGrattan and listen to the full story. A summary of the inquiry is available here. Cover image credit: https://www.nist.gov/image/wtctowerfiretest2003jpg
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
04 Jan 2023
083 - Fire fundamentals pt 1 - Combustion and flame with Rory Hadden
01:03:27
Let's start another mini-series! This time 'fire fundamentals' where we are going to learn some basics from the world's best. It is usually fascinating to do that! Not sure how you feel about it but I would kill for a chance to listen to the principles of fire science from Quintiere or Drysdale, even though I give these lectures on my own...
In this first episode, I've invited dr Rory Hadden - an emerging legend of fire from the University of Edinburgh, to discuss some basics of flame and combustion. We have covered the following topics:
diffusion flame;
flammability limits;
role of heat transfer in solid and liquid phase fires;
ignition sources and ignition energy;
fire retardants;
effects of scale in flammability;
and the ways to measure the fire.
Quite a lot for a first lecture, and it is a little longer than the usual Fire Science Show episode, but I'm sure it is worth it. Let me know what you think about this mini-series and send me ideas for future episodes.
I also promised to link to three masterpieces you need to read as a fire engineer, these are:
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
11 Jan 2023
084 - Industry lead research with Steve Gwynne and Mike Spearpoint
01:07:13
In my first episode, I mentioned that I'm doing this podcast to preserve some amazing conversations and share them with a larger audience, as sometimes it is a huge waste of interesting thoughts that remain just between the few people participating in a talk. This part of the podcast mission is what I'm trying to achieve with today's episode. I had the privilege to be a part of an amazing discussion between fire science giants Steve Gwynne from Movement Strategies and Mike Spearpoint from OFR, who also happen to be amazing amateur philosophers. I throw them some difficult questions on why the industry is driven to do science. How is the industry doing science? Does it differ from the world of academia? What are the metrics the industry would measure the value of research? And they give me simply amazing answers, based on their very long practical experience.
This is a little different episode than the usual fire science, but it shows a lot of 'why' we do fire science. I think understanding how and why we do science is as important as the science itself, and some of the thoughts in the episode such as that the biggest impact is entering the building code with your research or the scrutiny and reputation related to research, are just profound. I think it is critical to understand how the world of science works if we are to trust the research that comes from that world. I'm aware this episode is not for every fire engineer, but I hope that those who find it interesting will find a lot of value within it. Just as I did.
This episode is also historical, as it is the first episode created in partnership with OFR Consultants, who are the diamond sponsor of the podcast for the year 2023. Please allow me to introduce OFR to you. And you can learn more and connect with them at their website.
OFR Consultants is a multi-award-winning independent consultancy dedicated to addressing fire safety challenges. OFR is the UK’s leading fire risk consultancy. Its globally established team has developed a reputation for pre-eminent fire engineering expertise, with colleagues working across the world to help protect people, property, and the planet.
Established in the UK in 2016 as a start-up business of two highly experienced fire engineering consultants, the business has grown phenomenally in just six years with offices across the country in seven locations – from Edinburgh to Bath. Colleagues are on a mission to continually explore the challenges that fire creates for clients and society, applying the best research, experience and diligence for effective tailored solutions.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
16 Jan 2023
QA#2 - Turning podcast professional and the outcomes of the listener experience survey
00:47:34
Welcome to Questions & Answers session 02 covering the recent sponsorship opening in the podcast and how the podcast is turning from a hobby project to something more professional, and the summary of the 2022 listener experience survey.
In this session you can find answers to the following questions:
What does it mean to have podcast sponsorships for the podcast, the audience, me and the sponsors? 2:15 Summary of listener experience survey. 15:29 Types of content you would like to see in the show. 30:16 Direct answers to some of your comments. 37:08
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
18 Jan 2023
085 - E-mobility and energy storage hazards with Adam Barowy
00:51:56
Three months ago I saw a video of some sort of an electric scooter going off in someone's residential building. That person had absolutely no chance of controlling that fire. I guess they have escaped, but it must have been severe fire damage to their home. Then, I listened to an excellent webinar by IFAB (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vir4_1qSSc) where for the first time I've seen useful measurements of HRR in such a fire... and they are horrifying. A fire in a range of ¬1 MW is in many cases all you need to place your compartment on a trajectory to flashover. A fire that grows that quickly means you have no chance to really react. And these devices are located in people's homes!
To learn more about those threats, I've invited dr Adam Barowy of UL FSRI. Adam has thorough experience in testing and experimenting with these exact types of fires, and is a priceless source of knowledge on such incidents. I am not able to summarize all the amazing information shared by Adam - you really have to listen to the episode. It is absolutely worth it. But what is also worth your time, is to go through amazing UL FSRI resources:
Online course - Fire Service Considerations with Lithium-Ion Battery ESS https://fsri.org/resource/fire-service-considerations-lithium-ion-battery-ess
Fire Science Show is sponsored by OFR Consultants.
OFR Consultants is a multi-award-winning independent consultancy dedicated to addressing fire safety challenges. OFR is the UK’s leading fire risk consultancy. Its globally established team has developed a reputation for pre-eminent fire engineering expertise, with colleagues working across the world to help protect people, property, and the planet.
Established in the UK in 2016 as a start-up business of two highly experienced fire engineering consultants, the business has grown phenomenally in just six years with offices across the country in seven locations – from Edinburgh to Bath. Colleagues are on a mission to continually explore the challenges that fire creates for clients and society, applying the best research, experience and diligence for effective tailored solutions.
If you wish to learn about the PhD opportunity at the Fire Safety Engineering Group, please follow here. You can also check the LinkedIn post in which prof. Ed Galea explains the proposition here.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
25 Jan 2023
086 - Experiments that changed fire science pt. 4 - Runnehamar tunnel with Haukur Ingason and Anders Lönnermark
00:58:47
Would you rather do 20 published experiments and take your impact factors, or make one that truly changed the world of fire science? Or maybe a different way, would you pursue something that is quick, easy and gives immediate credit over something hard, stressful and requiring maybe years to really change mainstream engineering?
Sure, we all like to see ourselves as heroes, but in reality, very few of us have the courage and vision to pursue these hard-to-achieve goals. But it seems worth it. Today's episode is a statement of that. An experiment designed to investigate a single, most impactful variable. A chain of research, from small, through intermediate, to then full scale, designed with every detail in mind, to truly reveal the physics of a fire in a way we have never seen in a controlled experiment. Finally, a great finish with impactful papers, changing the standards worldwide and the tunnel fire engineering practice for decades to come.
This is what happened in the Runehammar tunnel in Norway. And I am joined today by prof. Haukur Ingason from RISE - the mastermind of this work, and dr Anders Lönnermark, also from RISE, then a PhD student tasked with assisting and processing the findings of the study. The experiments were carried out by SP (now RISE), SINTEF, TNO and industrial partners. In this episode, you will learn their path to these experiments and the environment in which this happened. You will learn how the previous experiences of my guests have been pivotal in understanding the outcomes of the test (truly, fire science is blessed with having just the right people, at the right time at the right place...). We will also try to understand the impact of this research, and dream a bit about 'how would we do this today'. And on top of that, you will learn a ton of technical details of the tests, sprinklered with a bit of tasty fire science.
If you want to learn more about these experiments, the single best piece you can find summarizing it is here.
One of the outcomes of the project is still ongoing - Haukur organized a seminar to disseminate the experimental findings, which eventually turned into the ISTSS conference series. This year, they invite you to the 10th edition of this event at Stavanger in Norway. It is a nice opportunity, as this conference happens just after Fires in Vehicles event, held at the exact same place. Learn more about the event here.
Fire Science Show is sponsored by OFR Consultants.
OFR Consultants is a multi-award-winning independent consultancy dedicated to addressing fire safety challenges. OFR is the UK’s leading fire risk consultancy. Its globally established team has developed a reputation for pre-eminent fire engineering expertise, with colleagues working across the world to help protect people, property, and the planet.
Established in the UK in 2016 as a start-up business of two highly experienced fire engineering consultants, the business has grown phenomenally in just six years with offices across the country in seven locations – from Edinburgh to Bath. Colleagues are on a mission to continually explore the challenges that fire creates for clients and society, applying the best research, experience and diligence for effective tailored solutions.
If you wish to learn about the PhD opportunity at the Fire Safety Engineering Group, please
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
01 Feb 2023
087 - Structural FSE inspired by earthquake engineering with Negar Elhami Khorasani
00:59:55
Performance-based engineering or the use of probabilistic methods in building design are not inventions of Fire Safety Engineering. But we sometimes tend to act like we need to 'discover' and work out everything on our own. I strongly believe this is not the best way forward. And certainly not the cheapest one...
Where I see a lot of potential is the adaptation of methods and models that work in other parts of civil engineering, that could act as solutions to issues related to fire. Such a case is with The Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center’s Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE) - brought to the fire safety engineering community by David Lange (a previous guest on the show) and Asif Usmani in 2014, and now is championed by my today's guest Dr Negar Elhami Khorasani. Negar gives us a very in-depth view of the status of Structural Fire Safety Engineering and shows an inspiring framework in which probabilistic inputs at different stages of the analysis can be used to build up a model of safety in a building, that is much more informative than whatever we assume through design with prescriptive rules. A step up from the structural fire safety engineering framework, but one that feels very smart and natural.
The best part of this episode is reading this framework between the lines. Yes, it is adopted for structural design. But it does not have to. It can be adapted to many different areas of fire science, and in my case, we will definitely seek an implementation in wind-fire coupled modelling. So, no matter if you are dealing with the most impressive structural designs crafted for fire, or if it is something not very relevant to your current tasks, please have an open mind and try to understand the workflow and ideas behind this framework, it seems really worth it!
And here are some resources I received from Negar, that may be relevant to you, if you find this topic interesting:
Fire Science Show is sponsored by OFR Consultants.
OFR Consultants is a multi-award-winning independent consultancy dedicated to addressing fire safety challenges. OFR is the UK’s leading fire risk consultancy. Its globally established team has developed a reputation for pre-eminent fire engineering expertise, with colleagues working ac
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
08 Feb 2023
088 - Modeling fires of natural fuels with Eric Mueller
00:54:04
Modelling ignition and fire of a tree branch with some leaves can't be that much different from modelling burning timber, right? Well, that is the kind of ignorance that can backfire on you... It certainly did on me! I have honestly not imagined how complicated fires of living (and dead) vegetation may be. How different heat transfer phenomena will have the leading impact (convective heating and cooling!) and how some of the assumptions I'm very used to may be useless. I guess I should have paid more attention to the episodes with Sara McAllister and Mike Gollner!
Anyway, today I'm treating my ignorance with the best cure I know - talking to an expert, who really knows his craft. This guest is Dr Eric Mueller from NIST, who has done his PhD at Edinburgh on modelling natural fuels, and now continues this research at NIST. Eric is responsible not only for researching this field, but also implementing and improving models and routines of FDS that relate to natural fuels. As such, he is a priceless knowledge resource. In this episode, you will learn a lot about convective heat transfer, porosities and drag coefficients - some concepts that were a little alien to me before... at least not at the level of importance that I would assign to them now. So if you feel you may learn this and that about burning living fuels, please join me in this episode. And if you feel it is useless... well yeah, thought the same and got reality checked pretty hard on this!
If you somehow missed it, make sure to check the video from IAFSS20 where Eric received the best thesis award, and astonished everyone with his magnificent presentation. It is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHif1bh5o2g
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
15 Feb 2023
089 - Designing law by disasters (or not?) with Birgitte Messerschmidt
00:57:07
There is no universal answer to the question of how law and testing regimes should be set up. Sometimes, we build up our law after a huge tragedy, making sure that the same cause will not be of harm in the future. Sometimes, we act proactively, trying to build robust solutions so that all foreseen threats are minimized... But it is never without a flaw. And even if the system is flawless, one can hardly expect today's solutions to answer the problems of the future world. But we need those laws, tests and methods in place, so how to create them in the best way? This is the theme of today's episode with Birgitte Messerschmidt. We venture through the creation and emergence of the Single Burning Item method (read more in this report) and reaction to fire Euro-classes. The challenges they were supposed to solve (and largely solved), as well as aspects that went out of the scope of this new ladder. It is an amazingly rich case study, filled with a bit of out-of-science issues like fighting for power, maintaining the status quo within some nations or maybe even simple lobbying (which you can read more about in this amazing paper).
What we hope to achieve with this talk is to make engineers reflect a bit more on the applicability of the test methods used every day to ran products. From understanding differences between material, assembly and product tests to questioning if a method is truly representative of the end use of the tested product, and is the threat is representative of the conditions the product will be exposed to. It is not about a revolution and tearing down existing codes and rules, but curiosity and a science-driven quest to ensure, that what we know is the fire characteristics of products installed in our buildings.
This is not the first Fire Science Show episode with doubts about the system. These talks are difficult, and I would also like to highlight:
Fire Science Show is sponsored by OFR Consultants.
OFR Consultants is a multi-award-winning independent consultancy dedicated to addressing fire safety challenges. OFR is the UK’s leading fire risk consultancy. Its globally established team has developed a reputation for pre-eminent fire engineering expertise, with colleagues working across the world to help protect people, property, and the planet.
Established in the UK in 2016 as a start-up business
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
22 Feb 2023
090 - Objective driven suppression system for Swedish tunnels with Ulf Lundström
00:47:31
If you want to design a suppression system for a certain application, you have a lot of technical solutions to choose from and most likely a handful of codes to follow. It seems pretty straightforward for most applications, right? Well, it certainly was not like this for my today's guest and his application. The guest is Ulf Lundström of the Swedish Road Administration and his application was for road tunnels. But it is not that he just needed a sprinkler for that - he had a very specific section parameter in mind, limited water availability and precise expectations towards the system use and maintenance. Something that did not exist on the market. In normal cases, customers and lawmakers would not agree to not follow the book, and Ulf would have to adjust his expectations... But being the administration - the law and a customer - he had the privilege to just try and build up a system for his needs.
And boy, he did just that.
This is an odd story. A story of someone thinking purely in performance-based objectives, willing to accept the shortcomings of his technology as long as his primary goals are met. He is someone who has placed a lot of faith in fire science and believed that through careful testing and experimenting they can get the exact solution he is looking for. And someone, who truly succeeded with this, and his tech is now present not only in his tunnels but available worldwide.
Fire Science Show is sponsored by OFR Consultants.
OFR Consultants is a multi-award-winning independent consultancy dedicated to addressing fire safety challenges. OFR is the UK’s leading fire risk consultancy. Its globally established team has developed a reputation for pre-eminent fire engineering expertise, with colleagues working across the world to help protect people, property, and the planet.
Established in the UK in 2016 as a start-up business of two highly experienced fire engineering consultants, the business has grown phenomenally in just six years with offices across the country in seven locations – from Edinburgh to Bath. Colleagues are on a mission to continually explore the challenges that fire creates for clients and society, applying the best research, experience and diligence for effective tailored solutions.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
24 Feb 2023
QA3 - Some Polish experiences with a year of war in Ukraine (interviewed by Arnold Dix)
00:45:24
1 year.
This is insane the war is still going on and people are still hurt. This war in Ukraine significantly affected everyone in here, and in this episode, I get a chance to share some of my thoughts and background to the story (at least from my perspective). The story of this episode is that professor Dix was visiting Poland, and he was absolutely astonished by the situation here which did not match his expectations. On the conference he went literally 'I need to interview you on what is happening in here', and I'm always carrying a mic you know :). So this was a very spontaneous interview, completely unplanned and unprepared - just the state of the heart at that particular point in time. I guess it makes it a bit genuine, maybe a bit overdrawn in some points, but still a snapshot of how I feel about the things being discussed.
I know many friends from outside of Poland are curious about first-hand reports, so here is my attempt on telling you my story. I'm not exceptionally courageous or generous - we've just sacrificed a bit of our comfort. There were and are people in Poland who do A LOT more. People who really sacrificed a lot, and I hope their stories get shared and collected too.
Thanks to all for supporting Ukraine. Thanks to all for supporting us. I hope the war ends soon...
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
28 Feb 2023
091 - Fire fundamentals pt 2 - Ignition with Rory Hadden
01:00:33
Welcome to Fire Fundamentals pt. 2 with Rory Hadden. This episode is focused on the concept of ignition and its role in fire safety - as an event leading to fires, as something often investigated post-fire, but also as a vehicle to understand and measure general concepts of flammability of materials.
In this episode we cover:
ignition of gases, liquids and solids
flammability limits
flashpoint and fire point
open and closed cup methods for ignition of liquids
a little bit of pyrolysis and heat transfer
Hope you enjoy this mini-series - more of those will be coming!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
07 Mar 2023
092 - European Commission view on Performance Based FSE with Adamantia Athanasopoulou
01:07:13
It seems we will not have EU Fire Code for at least a few more decades... Why is that? Because the people in power found out that it is not the most efficient thing to do it right now. And they found it through the power of research carried out by the European Commissions Joint Research Centre. I have invited Dr Adamantia Athanasopoulou from JCR to talk about their most recent report on the state of fire engineering (or performance-based fire engineering) in Europe, and it turned out to be a discussion also on how the law is created and spread in the EU and what can we do with the knowledge we've found.
If you would like to learn more about the findings of the JCR, they the report is available at their website: https://eurocodes.jrc.ec.europa.eu/publications/status-and-needs-implementation-fire-safety-engineering-approach-europe
(or you can just use this direct link) http://eurocodes.jrc.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2023-01/JRC131689_01.pdf
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
14 Mar 2023
093 - The story of the golden era for the US fire science with James Quintiere
01:03:35
It's finally here, the episode many of you were waiting for! Discussing the history of US fire movement with prof. James Quintiere from the University of Maryland.
I often wondered what it felt like in the 1970's and 80's when some of the greatest discoveries of fire science were made. I mean discoveries like the instabilities that lead to flashover, the role of radiant heat transfer in compartment fire dynamics or the definition of the flows through openings... things so fundamental to us today, that we maybe sometimes forget that someone had first to discover and describe them. This is what I've tried to learn from prof. Quintiere, had an enormous impact on the research carried in the US in that period, and was also one of the key people fostering international collaboration and exchange of experience. These are the elements of today's story. There is no point in explaining more of the episode contents, you should simply tune into what James has to say!
Keep your eyes open, next week we will run a second episode with prof. Quintiere, this time with more of the technicalities of the experiments carried at NBS in his time there!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
21 Mar 2023
094 - Experiments that changed fire science pt. 5 - Compartment fires at NBS with James Quintiere
00:59:46
In the fifth episode of mini-series 'Experiments that changed fire science' we cover the compartment fire experimental campaigns carried at NBS (now NIST) in 1970's and 1980's, with the maybe most famous of them all - the Steckler's room experiment. My guest - prof. James Quintiere touches on the experimental design, design choices and most importantly - the technology available to measure and how they made it work.
If you would like to read more on this science, start up with these pieces
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
29 Mar 2023
095 - An AI supported Fire Safety Engineer with Michael Kinsey
00:49:31
It is the newest Internet craze. In my opinion, maybe even be the most disruptive tech since bitcoin or the Internet itself. And suddenly, we got a lot of very interesting conversations around, but I've lacked on oriented on the craft of Fire Protection Engineering.
Discussions on chatbots are in abundance, but people having first-hand experience are scarce. I was lucky enough to find one, dr Michael Kinsey during his time in ARUP China was leading the development of tools, including a responsive "chat-bot" to read Chinese fire code. Here we talk about the opportunities and struggles they have encountered. It was not exactly "GPT" style chatbot, but one that follows a very similar logic and similar user experience. Plus, you have to admit - Mike did chatbots before they were cool!
Tune in to hear how this tech may disrupt our space and if there is a future for us in it (spoiler - there is).
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
05 Apr 2023
096 - Smoke toxicity (Part 1) Why fires used to be less toxic in 1950's? with David Purser
01:00:45
I have to start with a word of warning, I am extremally hyped about this and upcoming episodes. I think for the first time I have recorded a podcast episode with a ratio of my commentary to the guest 1:5. This is because when you get Prof. David Purser to tell you about toxicology, there is not much to add. It is a story of the history of fire science, difficult discoveries and how a fire scientist had to combine knowledge from multiple fields into useful models. All of this is so that engineers like us won't break their heads trying to cope with the chemistry of fires, but can rely on sound models and simplification which make our professional judgement possible (I won't call it easy...).
Please join me in celebrating Prof Pursers' achievements, including his IAFSS'14 Emmons Plenary Lecture invitation - the biggest honour a fire scientist can achieve. In this episode, you will learn about the differences between material toxicity and toxicity of fires, and how that changed from the 1950s to modern times. You will learn how we have established some rules on the toxic effects of smoke and how the research on this was performed. You will also learn what the FED model is and how it came to life.
This is Part 1 of the interview. In Part 2 (next week) you will learn more about asphyxiant and irritant gasses, specific molecules that are created in fire smoke and how this knowledge translates to engineering projects. Can't wait for that one too...
If somehow, you want more. There is more. I highly recommend reading David's chapters in the SFPE Handbook, as they are the most condensed pill of knowledge and references on toxicity that you can find anywhere. Here are the links:
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
12 Apr 2023
097 - Smoke toxicity (Part 2) Asphyxiants and irritants with David Purser
00:46:30
This episode is the 2nd part of interview with Professor David Purser, this year recipient of IAFSS'14 Emmons Plenary Lecture. If you have not seen it, I would highly encourage you to first listen to the Part 1, which sets the context of the discussion here.
In Part 1 we have talked a lot about the toxic hazards and how the production of toxicants has evolved together with fire loads. We have also gone quite deep into the toxicity of CO. In part 2, we cover the combined effects of asphyxiant gases and some of the HCN toxicity. We also distinguish between asphyxiants and irritants, discussing in depth how each of those work on the human body, and what are the physiological and pathological consequences of exposure. We also go quite deep into how tests on animals were carried, in consequence - what we know about the effects of these toxicants on the human body (and what we just assume...). We finish the episode with quite an engineering take on building useful models and progressing the toxicology further.
These two episodes. Seriously, maybe it is just me, but I feel this is some sort of pinnacle of how informative an informal chat in a podcast may be. I have just learnt more about toxicology than in 13 years of my professional career and in my formal education (maybe it was just bad, dunno...). Please apologize me if I am over-hyping this, but I am absolutely thankful to David for spending some of his time with me and teaching me all of this. I hope this will be useful for generations of fire engineers!
If somehow, you want more. There is more. I highly recommend reading David's chapters in the SFPE Handbook, as they are the most condensed pill of knowledge and references on toxicity that you can find anywhere. Here are the links:
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
19 Apr 2023
098 - Digital innovation in built environment with Michael Strömgren
00:53:31
Innovation is a big world. A digital innovation sounds even bigger. But it is in fact our reality - we live in a world of constant change and "improvements". Many of those come to us in form of digital technologies, information processing or simply computer codes and tools. And I would say more often than not, these are not very helpful... If you share this point of view with me, you will rejoice in this podcast episode.
I have invited Michael Strömgren who is the Chief Innovation Officer at BRIAB to discuss his long experience with experimenting with the newest digital trends in the construction market. While investigating BIM, digital twins, IoT sensors and machine-interpreted codes we try to seek the reason why the construction industry is improving its efficiency only by 1-2% a year, and how those new tools and technologies could break the paradigm. Why we need to communicate more, and how the new tools allow for that. Finally, why systematic thinking is the way forward in the new 'normal' of modern civil engineering.
This podcast episode is produced with the support of OFR Consultants, the diamond sponsor of the Fire Science Show.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
26 Apr 2023
QA4 - Wojciech in Smart Firefighting podcast episode 151 - fire science, innovation and built environment
00:55:02
This week in place of a normal episode I would like to share an interview I gave to my friend Kevin Sofen in his podcast. In this episode I am interviewed by Kevin on the science of fire, how I understand the built environment and the challenges it brings. Kevin asks me some really tough questions, like what the fire-safe world is, and how to innovate in space of the fire engineering. I have highly enjoyed this discussion, and if you have not heard it at the Smart Firefighting Podcast, I hope you will enjoy it as well here!
This podcast episode is the original content of the Smart Firefight Podcast, which was originally posted here: https://www.smartfirefighting.com/podcast/episode/351c46ad/episode-151-playing-with-fire-to-create-a-fire-safe-world-with-wojciech-wegrzynski
The episode is posted with the approval from Kevin, thank you so much for making this interview available for the Fire Science Show audience!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
03 May 2023
099 - Electric vehicle fires in tunnels with Peter Sturm
00:57:29
Do you have any idea how bad the tunnel fire will be if there is an EV involved?
That is a question I hear a lot, way more often than I would like. And usually, my answers do not get approval. I guess telling people "doesn't matter, passenger vehicles are not a concern" does not rank very well against all the media chaos related to challenges with these new energy carriers. Even today I've witnessed a random conversation of my father with a friend, where they discussed the future, EVs and how bad they may be in fires. It is hard to break through with some of the messages. Unfortunately, for those simple and reasonable claims, we need extraordinary proof.
Luckily, there are people who bring those proofs to us, so we finally can not only participate in meetings armed with data but also refer the peer-reviewed research and close the arguments. My today's hero is Prof. Peter Sturm from TU Graz, the leader in the BRAFA project on fires with new energy carriers (more about the project here). In their recent paper Fire tests with lithium-ion battery electric vehicles in road tunnels, they dive deep into fires of EVs in a road tunnel setting. We discuss why this setting is important to understand the consequences of the fire in the tunnel environment, and how their main conclusions were reached. You will also learn some about the new methods of extinguishing fires, as working alongside the firefighters was an important part of this project. Finally, in the podcast episode, we discuss how the results of this research may scale to larger vehicles, and what the consequences of low-probability high-consequence events such as an electrical bus fire may be.
If you would like to learn more about the crazy research facility Zentrum am Berg, you can do that here: https://www.zab.at/
Fire Science Show is produced in partnership with OFR Consultants.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
10 May 2023
100 - Fire Fundamentals pt. 3 - Smoke plumes (and other flow phenomena) with Wojciech
00:58:09
This week we cover the fundamentals of smoke flow (proliferation!), entrainment and smoke plumes. All the basics that impact the spread of the smoke in our buildings. You will learn:
the ideal gas assumption for a smoke mixture
turbulent nature of fire-induced flows
axisymmetric plume models and their origins
spill plumes
window and door plumes
basics of smoke control
If you would like to read up more, please resort to:
This podcast is brought to you in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you for sticking up to Fire Science Show for its 100th episode!!!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
17 May 2023
101 - The Society of Fire Protection Engineers with Chris Jeleniewicz
01:06:38
What is the Society of Fire Protection Engineers? I just got a really good answer from the Interim CEO Chris Jeleniwicz. It is our profession. It is us.
With this important definition sorted, we dig into what SFPE is doing (and more importantly - how it is doing). If you ever wondered what the SFPE Handbook writing process looks like and what will you find in the next edition, we may have some answers for you. If you wonder why SFPE is turning its guidelines into standards and how this future ecosystem will work - tune in. What is the role of the SFPE Foundation and how SFPE participates in building fire science? And by the way, you will also find out how society builds a holistic system of competencies, curricula, courses and educational resources.
I'm deeply connected with SFPE for many years, and it gave me a lot of joy to hear about the plans of CJ in how to guide this organization to success. And by the way, this success is OUR success, as SFPE is us.
If you are interested in the activities of the SFPE Foundation, learn more here.
Fire Science Show is brought to you in partnership with OFR Consultants.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
24 May 2023
102 - Fire Safe Design Competent Architect with Michael Woodrow
00:57:09
We all agree competencies are key to fire safety. We have discussed this. We have argued about this. We have come up with decent sets of core competencies, course curricula and numerous courses and modules that help us be competent in what we are doing. This podcast is to keep me and you competent in what we are doing.
But this is insufficient in the modern world. Because it is not just us who need to be competent. Today I've invited Dr Michael Woodrow from UCL to talk about what fire competencies mean for FSEs and for other stakeholders in the design process, with a very very strong emphasis on the architects. What is the difference between an architect that understands the fundamentals of fire safety, and one that wants to complete a box-ticking exercise? What those fundamentals actually are for someone who is not (and is not expected to be) an FSE? And how the changing UK post-Grenfell environment makes this discussion today more relevant than ever.
You need to listen to this episode and share it with your architect friends. And once you are done with it, you are probably interested in all this Fire Safe Design MArch discussed in the show. Here it is!
And while we are searching for great resources, here is Michael's paper on competencies, enjoy.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
31 May 2023
103 - The Science and Art of Scale Modeling with James Quintiere
00:58:18
Ever wondered how scale modelling can provide invaluable insights into fire science? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Professor James Quintiere, as we delve into the fascinating world of scale modelling and its applications in both fire science and fluid mechanics research. You will discover how this powerful experimental technique has been used to develop correlations, understand complex phenomena, and even predict outcomes of full-scale experiments.
Together with prof. Quintiere we go from plume research to exploring the potential of scale modelling in investigative fire science, touching on its role in understanding smoke movement, pressurization effects, and venting strategies in buildings. Learn how a deep understanding of the underlying physics can lead to successful scale modelling, and how this technique can complement modern computational tools like CFD.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
07 Jun 2023
104 - Experiments that will change fire science pt. 6 - MaCFP with Arnaud Trouve
00:57:51
What makes an experiment truly groundbreaking, and how can researchers plan and execute such experiments in fire science? Join us as we chat with Professor Arnaud Trouve from the University of Maryland, a co-chair of the MaCFP group at the IAFSS, to uncover the answers to these burning questions. Arnaud offers valuable insights into the creation of a structured, repeatable, and accessible database of knowledge, and how to design experiments that will revolutionize fire science.
We dive into the challenges of gathering data from manufacturers who don't share their information and the difficulties in modelling phenomena like underventilated fires, flame spread, radiation and soot. Arnaud also emphasizes the importance of well-controlled, well-instrumented experiments in fire research, and the need for computer power to solve fundamental problems in fire science. Moreover, we discuss the MaCFP Workshop and the three different solvers that make up a fire model, touching on the importance of IAFSS's endorsement of MaCFP and the resources available to access the discussions from past workshops.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
14 Jun 2023
105 - How much smoke is made in fires and how we measure that? with David Purser
00:51:40
In this show, we have already ventured into the fascinating world of toxicity in fires, and I have promised you more. So today, I fulfil my word and invite you to another conversation with renowned fire toxicity expert Professor David Purser, who shares invaluable insights on measuring smoke and toxic products created in fires. From understanding mass loss concentration in a CFD analysis to exploring various test apparatus, discover how we can determine the yields and concentrations of toxic products in different fuels and conditions. Learn about the significance of the fuel/air mixture ratio (the equivalency ratio) and the need for defined combustion conditions to measure toxic product yields accurately.
On a practical side, you will learn about prof. Purser's experience working on the Mont Blanc tunnel investigation, where he used CFD analysis to study toxic product concentrations and yields in real-life fire scenarios. Professor Purser emphasizes that while exact solutions may not always be available, science and research can provide valuable insights into the toxic effects of fires.
Another, final episode on smoke toxicity with David Purser coming out next week. If you want to catch up on the previous episodes, you can find them here:
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
21 Jun 2023
106 - Chemistry of smoke - Nitrogen, retardants and cancirogens with David Purser
01:03:57
And so we have reached the fourth and final episode featuring Professor David Purser, a leading expert in fire toxicity. In this episode, we explore the complexities of nitrogen in fires, the impact of fire retardants on fire atmospheres, and the long-lasting hazards related to the consurgents and carcinogenic properties of smoke.
We'll be discussing the different hazard zones associated with fire smoke and the potential risks they pose to people, buildings, and the environment. Discover how fire retardants can lead to higher yields of toxic products, and learn about the acute and chronic exposure risks of fire smoke in various scenarios. Professor Purser also shares his knowledge on the dangers of hazardous materials released in fires, such as organic nitrogen phosphorus materials, metals, mineral fibers, and radioactive polonium.
Lastly, we'll delve into the carcinogenic substances found in fire smoke and their classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). From hydrocarbons to ethylene oxide, we'll reveal the potential risks of these toxic compounds and their impact on our health.
If you would like to first catch up on previous episodes (highly recommended!):
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
28 Jun 2023
107 - Visualization in fires with Matt Hoehler
01:05:02
If you ever wondered how to capture fires in photographs and videos so it is a real science, not just pretty pictures, this episode is for you. With dr Matt Hoehler we explore the world of visualization in fires - from just shooting the pictures, through composition and what is your target, to fancy techniques - water-cooling, blue light illumination and 360-degree shoots. We also discuss the role of audio in the further use of these pictures.
To watch for yourself how the magic works, check this NIST website: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2018/07/nist-unblinded-me-science-new-application-blue-light-sees-through-fire
And to see how BOB was applied, check it here: https://www.nist.gov/el/fire-research-division-73300/national-fire-research-laboratory-73306/360-degree-video-fire
If you would like to learn more, here are some resources:
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
05 Jul 2023
QA5 - Brainstorming fire safe Mars habitats with Ruben van Coile, Jaime Cadena Gomez and Szymek Matkowski
01:01:18
This time we try out something new! Instead of interviewing experts on subjects of their expertise, this time I took world-class risk specialists for a brainstorming session. And while sitting together, we discussed something out of this world - the fire safety of Mars habitats.
This podcast episode is literally a recording of the conversation between the panellists, it is very unscripted and lightly edited. I really hope you will feel like a part of this conversation, and if you would like to voice your ideas - share them on socials or mail them directly to me. If you have ideas on future brainstorming sessions and who you would like to see at the table. please let me know!
In today's brainstorming session, the discussion is held between:
Jaime Cadena Gomez - risk specialist, an expert at Transurban with practical experience in tunnelling, has a background in chemical engineering. Listen to Jaimes' episode on Maximum Allowable Damage method he was developing in his PhD.
Szymek Matkowski - an architect whose passion is to design Mars habitats, involved with Nexus Aurora and known for his research on evacuation in low-G
yours truly Wojciech Wegrzynski - in this case, space enthusiast and advocate for risk and performance-based approach to fire safety
Background of the discussion: Our exciting and exploratory discussion revolves around the concept of a Mars habitat, examining the unique challenges of maintaining resources on Mars and unpacking how these factors influence the longevity of the structures. Fire can become a catastrophic disaster, especially in a volatile environment like Mars. Our conversation dives into the expense of safety solutions, and the potentially devastating implications of a fire on Mars.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
12 Jul 2023
109 - Forensic Fire Science with Richard Roby
01:05:16
In this episode, we uncover the intricate process of fire investigations with renowned combustion scientist and fire investigator, Dr. Richard J. Roby from Combustion Science and Engineering. With over five decades of experience in the field, Dr Roby helps us navigate the critical role of the scientific method in fire investigations.
From the analysis of burn scars to the testimony of eyewitnesses, we explore the fascinating world of fire investigations, where data, evidence, and hypotheses come together to reveal the truth. We'll delve deep into the NFPA 921 standards, which keep fire investigations current with the latest scientific discoveries. We also delve into fire modelling, a tool that allows us to test different hypotheses and explain the spread of a fire. We also tackle the complexities of fire investigation and the crucial factors that can influence the process, such as expectancy and confirmation bias. Dr Roby provides invaluable insights from his vast experience, discussing the changing materials used in buildings and how they affect fire investigation processes. Finally, we explore the importance of recorded evidence and eyewitness testimony in fire investigations, and how to identify and understand biases to produce reliable results.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
19 Jul 2023
110 - NIST Fire Calorimetry Database with Matt Bundy
00:53:47
Ever wonder how scientists measure the intensity of a fire? Join us on this episode as we invite Dr. Matt Bundy from NIST. We discuss the intricacies of heat release rate, calorimetry, and how NIST is championing open data with their astonishing database.
You can learn more about the database here: https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/new-nist-fire-calorimetry-database-available-answer-your-burning-questions
And find the database here: https://www.nist.gov/el/fcd
I've tried to make this conversation for everyone. If you never saw a calorimeter or have no idea how to measure fire, from this episode you will learn probably all you need to know. If you know everything about calorimetry, there is a ton of golden nuggets on how NIST runs their experiments, that are absolutely worth listening too.
In the podcast episode, we start deciphering the art of measuring fire characteristics - from using heat flux gauges, oxygen and mass loss calorimetry and what are the challenges to each of them. We then explore the NIST Fire Calorimetry Database, unveiling its evolution from a humble set of data to an open-access resource. Dr. Bundy shares invaluable insights into the development of this enriching database, which has metamorphosed into an extensive video collection system that records fire experiments. He also whets our curiosity about the potential expansion and collaborations lying on the horizon for this unique database.
Rounding off our discussion, we delve into the inner workings of the hosting process of the NIST Calorimetry Database, its data storage methods, and how it facilitates easy access to experiments. We also glimpse the future of fire studies as Dr. Bundy calls on the Fire Science Show community to suggest objects to burn for their calorimetry.
This podcast episode is sponsored by OFR Consultants.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
26 Jul 2023
111 - Experiments that will change fire science pt. 7 - CodeRed with Panos Kotsovinos
01:04:35
In this week's series covering experimental fire science, we venture into a recently finished Code Red project by ARUP, led by my today's guest Dr Panos Kotsovinos. The project was carried out in CERIB with the collaboration of the Imperial College London. History will tell if this experiment will change fire science, but I truly believe it is at least worth sharing!
The research was carried out on a large open-plan office (350m2) with a combustible CLT ceiling. It was a continuation of previous X-One and X-Two experiments on travelling fire behaviour carried out by Imperial College London in Poland (referred to here as the "Obora" experiments, listen to episode 27 of the show) but with an important difference - this time the ceiling was combustible. They were looking into how the introduction of the combustible ceiling will change the travelling fire behaviour, investigating variables such as the opening factor, the introduction of a low-pressure water mist system and partial encapsulation of the ceiling. The findings include observations related to fire spread, persistent smouldering fires, effects of the partial encapsulation and many many more which are discussed in detail in the show.
If you have any further questions to Panos please let me know, and I will gladly pass them on to him!
Fire Science Show is produced in partnership with OFR Consultants.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
02 Aug 2023
112 - Fire Safety for Energy Storage Systems with Ali Ashrafi and Paweł Woelke
00:56:45
Energy storage systems are vital systems in fuel transition and as a part of technology responding to the challenges of climate change. Not only for their capability to store energy but also for exploring strategies like peak shaving or allowing for more distributed energy generation. In this discussion, we consider them as fixed storage systems but also recognize that moveable load such as vehicles poses similar challenges.
Even though fire safety energy storage is still a part of academic discussion, at the same time it is a part of real-world projects, where fire safety strategy must be proposed with the scarce data and knowledge available. To discuss how this is delivered I have invited two Thornton Tomasetti engineers - Ali Ashrafi and Paweł Woelke.
We unpack the available sources of data, discuss the variability of energy storage device test results, and underscore the need for a risk-based approach. Discussing the approval process for new technologies, calling for adaptability and stakeholder engagement to define acceptable risk levels. An interesting topic is the balancing act between fire and explosion risks as well as the suppression strategies.
Even though we do not know everything about the fire safety of energy storage systems yet, we need to act to the best of our capacity. I hope this discussion helps you in working out a fire-safe solution for your building.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
08 Aug 2023
113 - Exploring Maritime Fire Safety with Bogdan Racięga
00:59:26
My knowledge about fire safety at sea was pretty limited, at best. I was planning this episode for a long time, and then the disastrous fire happened at a car carrier near the Netherlands coast. In light of these events, I've reached out to Bogdan Racięga of the Baltic Fire Laboratory, a Polish maritime fire safety expert to discuss this particular incident and to delve into the intricate aspects of fire safety regulations on marine vessels.
Bogdan explains and highlights the critical role of the International Maritime Organization in setting and enforcing fire safety standards, and the role of Class Societies in classifying and certifying these solutions for ships.
Ever wondered about the unique challenges of protecting specific areas on ships? In the episode, we discuss protection strategies for machinery, cargo spaces, cabin balconies and galley areas. We unpack those challenges and discuss the differences between separation and extinguishing systems, including the necessity for perfect cooperation between passive and active solutions. Discussing some tragic fires we consider what are the consequences of a delayed response when activating firefighting systems. And how does fire testing play into all this? Bogdan shares his expertise on these subjects, delving into the potential misuse of fire suppression systems and the importance of collaboration between manufacturers.
I've had a blast recording this and I hope you will also enjoy learning about the maritime fire safety!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
15 Aug 2023
114 - Ventilation and fire flow paths with Craig Weinschenk
00:57:32
Most fire engineers would be aware of how openings like doors and windows, the stack effect, and even wind can significantly alter fire outcomes. But there is a considerable difference between knowing that it does, and knowing how much that changes fire growth, size and the internal building environment. I've invited FSRIs dr Craig Weinschenk to discuss his years of full-scale research on fire flows.
In this episode, we discuss different conditions that occur once the flow is established at windows, doors or through HVAC systems. How it affects the fire's growth and spread, and what firefighters need to consider when taking decisions on venting a burning building. We underscore the importance of compartmentalization, discussing how a simple action like leaving a door open can drastically impact fire behaviour and smoke movement.
Although it is a side topic in the episode, perhaps a very interesting discussion is on the battery-initiated fires, discussing the various failure modes that can trigger an overpressure event or a jet flame. We also explore what batteries change in the fire environment when they are victims and participants of the fire (rather than the source). I know many will be interested in this, here is also a good read by Craig on the subject.
As with every episode with FSRI, there is A TON of resources to go through. Our recommendations:
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
23 Aug 2023
115 - Update on the (near) future of fire engineers toolbox with Bryan Klein
01:04:45
in Episode 39 I had the pleasure to interview Bryan Klein from Thunderhead Engineering on some views and predictions for the near future of fire modelling. Even though it was only 1,5 year ago, some major things have already happened (release of Ventus - CONTAM GUI by Thunderhead) or snuck on us unseen as the large language model revolution.
In this episode we discuss mostly the things that have happened in recent months, and how they can change the potential for fire engineering. The list of talking points includes:
the release of CONTAM GUI - Ventus and a brief summary of CONTAM origin, capabilities and use in fire engineering
new updates to FDS with external sources for parameters
GPT revolution and how API's can revolutionize work of fire engineers - code compliance, design exploration, CFD management
GPU revolution and a new era of GPU based solvers for fluid mechanics (and FDS development in this direction)
cloud computing update and making it a user-friendly experience
If anything on the list sounds interesting to you, I bet the whole episode will be fun for you!
This episode is a very nerdy catch-up between two fire engineers, but I also want you to be a part of this conversation. Let me know what you think are the things that will happen in next few years that will change the way how we engineer?
If you want to check out the trial of Ventus and see for yourself if CONTAM is something useful for your fire engineering routine, you can find the trial here: https://www.thunderheadeng.com/ventus
Fire Science Show is sponsored by OFR Consultants.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
30 Aug 2023
116 - Fire Fundamentals pt. 4 - Natural and Powered Smoke Vents with Wojciech
00:47:36
It is time for some engineering fundamentals in the show. This time in the fire fundamentals series we delve into the details of natural and powered smoke ventilators - what they are, how they work, how they are tested and what interesting mechanics impact their performance in fire.
I hope this episode is valuable for all engineers who would love to know how the devices they place in their design are tested and qualified for use in fire safety. It should also be a great way for fire scientists to broaden their horizons and learn about very intricate details of natural and powered vents, which you learn only through experience in the design.
If you enjoyed this episode, you may want to jump into:
Fire Science Show podcast is produced in partnership with OFR Consultants
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
06 Sep 2023
117 - Global wildfire emergency and the key role of FSEs with Albert Simeoni
00:59:33
In the midst of horrible wildfire season around the globe, I have reached out to Prof. Albert Simeoni from Worcester Polytechnic Institute for some hands-on commentary on what is happening around, and why fires all over the globe are constantly on the front pages of mainstream media. I am not sure if I was ready for all the answers received (especially how media are biased to fires in certain parts of the world and pretty silent about others)... But they certainly are great food for thought in considering the current situation and where it may be heading.
In the episode, we have discussed what promotes disastrous wildfires, how one can estimate their damage, and how vanity metrics like the historical return period for fire may not be good enough for future preparedness. Changing climate, human expansion, popular "close to the wilderness" lifestyle, industrialization and abandonment of traditional agriculture - all are somewhat responsible for the "new normal".
Among the disappointing summary of current events, we have also found a bright light with Fire Protection Engineers being the missing link in the wildfire-urban interface and protecting homes and communities from fire disasters. And for this reason, this episode is well worth a listen for any FPE - you are more important than you think!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
13 Sep 2023
118 - Different batteries different challanges with Francesco Restuccia
00:54:09
In this episode dr. Francesco Restuccia from Kings College London takes me on a journey through different types of batteries, and what fire challenges relate to them. We discuss how the batteries burn, and how internal systems (Battery Management System) influence that behavior. From the size and type limitations to the potential perils of a cell thermal runaway, the fire spread in the whole batteries, and feedback loops that we need to understand to create safer systems. We'll also shed light on the contrasting battery lives of consumer electronics, laptops, and cars, as well as some challenges in the second life of batteries.
In the final leg of our journey, we will tackle the complex world of modeling batteries and their management systems, touching on the challenges of over-constraint equations and calculating heat release rates from off-gassing.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
20 Sep 2023
119 - Different scales needed to model fires with Lukas Arnold
00:55:36
If someone ever tells you they have modelled fire spread for a commercial project, with 20 cm grids and using generic materials from (old) FDS database, please do me a favour and redirect them to this episode. Because modelling fire is a seriously challenging thing. And by modelling, I really mean it. Not to apply a surrogate source based on a statistical overview of how fires looked like in the past for fuels of this kind. Not to omit half of the phenomena because they are too hard and in cone they did not matter anyway... To really model the fire.
I have invited prof. Lukas Arnold from Bergishe University Wuppertal and Juelich Forszungszentrum to tap into how challenging modelling even simple materials may be. What are the feedback loops and phenomena one must account for, and how do different scales give us different parts of the answer we need?
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
27 Sep 2023
120 - How we have designed a fire safe green wall
00:40:41
What happens when fire meets a green facade? Tune in as we journey through the unexpected world of green facades and their interaction with fire. For the first time, I am sharing the story of how we built up an interest in this subject, first by my PhD student Jakub's burning question and a client's unique request for an office space resembling a jungle. For this job we have put green facades to the test with full-scale experiments, including the Polish facade method and Single Burning Item tests, considering the unique environmental conditions that buildings and their facades are exposed to.
In the episode, I walk you through our research and reasoning, as well as the design considerations. We'll explore the potential risks involved with green facades. Neglected maintenance and environmental factors can significantly affect the safety of these structures. We discuss the results of our full-scale experiment and the dangers of a neglected green facade.
If you wish to learn more, please follow here:
<here will be the link to the FSJ paper once its out>
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
03 Oct 2023
121 - Revolutionizing Civil Engineering Through AI with MZ Nasser
Our discourse with MZ dives straight into the practical applications of AI, and how it already has been used with a high degree of success. We go deep into the case study of understanding concrete spalling, perhaps one of the most complicated phenomena in structural fire engineering.
We also delve into the limitations of AI in engineering and fire safety, and how coding-free software and AI principles could potentially usher in a new era for civil engineers. We navigate the concept of causality and its application in diverse fields, from social sciences to fire statistics.
If you would like to learn more, MZ Naser runs his blog where you can find all of his work and a ton of bonus resources. Check it out here: https://www.mznaser.com/
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
11 Oct 2023
122 - Compartment Fire Behaviour Training with Shan Raffel, CFBT Roy and Szymon Kokot
01:15:49
When I heard that two legends of firefighting training Shan Raffel and CFBT Roy will be visiting my friend Szymon Kokot, I packed my stuff and went to meet them with a microphone and a ton of questions. What I received was a brilliant discussion on how firefighting instructors are trained - from the history of CFBT (Compartment Fire Behaviour Training) to modern approaches. Shan introduced his method for reading fire (BE SAHF - Building Environment Smoke Air-track Heat and Flame) and how it helps the decision-making process in the most stressful settings. Along the way, we discuss the critical soft character traits that make a fire instructor exceptional, and how the art of decision-making and critical thinking can be integrated into the complex realm of fire science.
As we wrap up, we emphasize the significant role of understanding fire behavior in handling emergency situations. We will also broach the topic of cold, gray smoke, a seemingly harmless phenomenon but one that poses a formidable danger. Learn why experienced instructors are key to imparting this knowledge and how Poland, under Szymon's leadership, has made significant strides in fire instruction.
Also, if you would like to read more, here is the most amazing collection of resources you can find online: https://eurofirefighter.com/downloads
Shan's book can be found at https://cfbt-int.com/manuals/ or at Amazon, or perhaps you may want to find the CFBT people in your country to make a worthy connection?! Through his website, you can also connect to organize instructor training in your country.
Fire Science Show is sponsored by OFR Consultants, huge shoutout for their long-lasting support to our mission!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
18 Oct 2023
123 - Futureproofing fire safety systems with Jaime Cadena Gomez
00:52:29
Balancing the cost and the potential to change a system in the future is a difficult act. Discover a new perspective on this aspect of fire safety systems with our guest, Jaime Cadena Gomez. We discuss the significance of longevity and sturdiness in these systems, bringing examples of technologies that have not withstood the test of time such as PFAS firefighting foams, and technologies that will rapidly enter our buildings such as Li-Ion storage for energy backups. Jaime offers intriguing insights into how engineers can future-proof designs without adding excessive burden to the design process, considering device lifecycles and their implications for a sustainable future.
In the talk, we break down the responsibilities and trade-offs in designing equipment that stands the test of time. We delve into the importance of the potential need for upgrades and modifications and evaluate that from the eyes of a fire safety engineer responsible for a strategy and a fire protection engineer responsible for choosing equipment.
We also take a deep dive into the intersection of compliance and innovation in fire prevention systems. We'll uncover the importance of creating a pathway for innovation within the frameworks of compliance—a conversation that promises to be both enlightening and engaging. Finally, reflect with us on the role of the safety engineer, the education they require, and the immense importance of understanding the technology they work with and its maintenance.
The inspiration to do this talk came from the "Mars Habitats" talk, which you can re-listen here: https://www.firescienceshow.com/qa5-brainstorming-fire-safe-mars-habitats-with-ruben-van-coile-jaime-cadena-gomez-and-szymek-matkowski/
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
26 Oct 2023
124 - Advancements in Fire Safety of Facades with Eleni Asimakopoulou
00:45:03
In today's episode, I have invited dr Eleni Asimakopoulou from the University of Central Lancashire to discuss her extensive expertise on fire behaviour of facades. In the talk, we will go through Elenis' experiments on ventilated facades (and clear out what they are and why we use them). We do discuss the complexities of testing facade systems. We traverse through the global testing landscape, comparing diverse methods ranging from the German DIN4102 to its American NFPA counterpart. We discuss the role of air entrainment related to test geometries, the implications of whether there's an opening, and the potential effects of a fire barrier in proximity to the fire load.
Our discussion takes a heated turn as we broach large-scale fire testing and modelling. We go into how tiny details can dramatically impact a facade system's performance and whether we will be able to reliably capture that with large-scale tests, small tests or modelling. We'll also discuss the future - machine learning, CFD, and finite element analysis which are revolutionizing fire testing. Lastly, we delve into the newest research and developments in facades, discussing the advent of tools for material properties analysis, and more.
Here is the link to the paper discussed in the episode: https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85085977558
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
01 Nov 2023
125 - Enhancing Fire Safety Through Data: EU FireStat Project with Martina Manes and Mohamad El Houssami
00:55:00
Today we go deep into how statistical data about fires is gathered, processed, and used around the world, and what are the ideas on how to improve this in the future. My guests represent the EU FireStat Project - Dr Mohamad El Houssami from Effectis and Dr Martina Manes from the University of Liverpool.
EU FireStat is a groundbreaking initiative that aims to fill data gaps and foster cross-European collaborations in the field of fire safety. The conversation takes a deep dive into the necessity for comparable fire statistics across Europe, illustrating the challenges that come with harmonizing terminology and data collection methods. We bring to light how these discrepancies between countries can influence the way we interpret vital definitions, like fires, fire deaths, or injuries. We also discuss the role of the quality assurance process in shaping the data and dissect the eight variables identified as a tier one priority in the EU FireStat Project survey.
If you would like to read about the EU FireStat Project, all the reports (including the final report) are available here.
If you would like to read the peer-reviewed version of their findings, please go for the papers:
And while we wait for the pan-European fire statistics database, you may want to look into statistics gathered by the CTIF Center for World Fire Statistics.
Fire Science Show is produced in partnership with OFR Consultants.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
08 Nov 2023
126 - Where is the challenge with tunnel smoke control? with Wojciech
00:45:31
I'm known for my rant about critical velocity concept in tunnel ventilation systems, and I tried to really control myself and not go into podcast with it :) But in recent weeks, when I was enjoying sake at IAFSS in Tsukuba two important things happened. We have received the PASCAL award from the Polish Ventilation Association for the best ventilation design in Poland - our S2 Warsaw Ring tunnel project. The second was the invitation from the Conference of European Directors of Roads to talk about my view on challenges in tunnel ventilation. So it seems our design in this space gets some appreciation, and people want to listen to this...
Here we go. In order to train for my talk in front of Road Administrators of Europe, please let me outline some challenges related to smoke control in tunnels. What are we designing for? How does air travel in the tunnel and what makes it move? What components do we need to consider, and how to turn it into a risk-based approach? And finally, what do we need to advance into the future?
I hope the episode is nice not just for tunnel engineers, but everyone who has to deal with ventilation or design fires, as it has some very fundamental concepts in it. I also promised some links, so make sure to check: - The car park and tunnel podcast episode collection, where you can find episodes I've been mentioning in the show - A study on airflows induced by vehicle movement in road tunnels by the analysis of bulk data from tunnel sensors - a grand study with my friends Aleksander & Gosia Król, which gives an explanation for many forces acting on the flow in the tunnel. The good news is that a much more advanced paper is now submitted and pending review. Fingers crossed!!!
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
15 Nov 2023
127 Introducing the Book of Fire: An Online Resource Hub for Fire Engineers
00:29:08
Dear friends, I am building something new for you. Something that should be very useful, something that I wish I had when I started my journey as a fresh fire safety engineer. And I’ve reached a point where I’m comfortable sharing it is being built and that the first useful version will be available by the end of the month.
So what is this mysterious thing?
I’ve named it “The Book of Fire” (please let me keep the origin of the name story for another occasion 😊) and it will be an online collection of resources for fire safety engineers. It will be built as an online course, with different types of material spread over different “modules” and “lessons”. This approach allows me for flexible management of the content, and for you - it means easy access to any module at any time you want.
Oh, and did I mention the cost? Thanks to JVVA Fire and Risk cooperation, this resource will be freely available for anyone, as long as it is maintained.
In the podcast episode, you will hear the reasons behind building this resource, as well as some technical aspects of it. And most importantly, the dates. The open beta access is planned to open on November 27th, and the tentative launch date is December 20th. During the beta period, I hope to receive some critical feedback so that the final product is the best version of the course I can make. And hopefully, The Book of Fire will become a handy companion to many fellow fire engineers out there.
If you want to sign up for the beta launch, please use the form at https://thebookoffire.com
Fire Science Show podcast is produced in partnership with OFR Consultants.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
21 Nov 2023
128 - Fire Safety Engineering with Dr. Ricky Carvel
00:40:06
Dear friends of the Fire Science Show, and listeners of the Smart Passive Income Podcast - today is some sort of a special broadcast. As I have just been featured in THE podcast https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/shows/spi/ I've chosen to create a lightweight episode on what Fire Safety Engineering is. I hope this is interesting to people who never heard about the term and a great reflection on what we do to all who practice the world's best job.
I'm unraveling this together with our esteemed guest, Dr. Ricky Carvel from the University of Edinburgh.
Ever wondered about the role of fire safety engineers in technology? Or maybe you're curious about the future challenges posed by complex structures. This episode addresses these concerns and more, taking you on a journey through the multi-disciplinary nature of this vital field. We highlight the growing demand for fire safety engineers in areas like informal settlements and the wildland-urban interface and discuss the evolution of fire-related education. We also shed light on the success of the International Master of Science in Fire Safety Engineering program.
If you look for more interesting episodes for a general audience, here you can find them: https://www.firescienceshow.com/category/interesting-for-general-audience/
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
24 Nov 2023
129 - Backdraught and Underventilated Fires with Dr. Ricky Carvel
00:48:15
In today's episode, we go into the practical consequences of having an underventilated fire - that is the possibility of backdraught or other similar smoke explosion phenomena. My guest Dr Ricky Carvel from the University of Edinburgh, touches on the chemistry of combustion, explaining why the underventilated fire is different than the oxygen-rich one, and how flammability limits are critical in understanding dynamic phenomena that may occur in a fuel-rich environment. We go into conditions in which backdraughts occur, and how establishing flow-path or reducing smoke layer temperatures may be a way to mitigate the risk. Finally, Ricky shares on some future plans on how to give firefighters a real tool to assess the risk of backdraught.
And of course, we had a ton of fun with the movie Backdraft, and to some extent the American spelling of the word.
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
29 Nov 2023
130 - Mass timber fire dynamics with Dr. Carmen Górska
00:50:30
In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Carmen Górska from OFR Consultants, the recent IAFSS Phillip Thomas Award recipient for the best paper at the previous IAFSS Symposium. In this interview, we touch on preconceived notions about fire dynamics in timber compartments, and Carmen explains how she has learned the intricate physics behind it.
The research discussed covers dozens of medium-scale timber (CLT) compartments with different amounts of exposed timber. The findings relate to the conditions inside (temperatures, heat fluxes), the spatial distribution of the temperature and oxygen within the compartment, charring rates, self-extinction conditions, and external venting fires.
If you would like to learn more from Carmen, here is her TEDx talk on mass timber, where she explains WHY we need research like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKXnKRD2EU4&t=1s And here is the award-winning paper: https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85084762058&origin=resultslist And here is Carmens' PhD Thesis, which goes much deeper into the topic: https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/data/UQ_ec263ab/s4408332_final_thesis.pdf
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
06 Dec 2023
131 - Experiments that changed fire science pt. 8 - Modelling Cardington Fire Tests with Asif Usmani
00:52:29
In this part 8 of Experiments that changed fire science series we revisit Cardington (previously covered in part 2 - https://www.firescienceshow.com/078-experiments-that-changed-fire-science-pt-2-bre-cardington-with-tom-lennon/), but this time from the perspective of modeling the structure. My guest prof. Asif Usmani of the HK PolyU takes us on how simplifying the model led them to some fundamental discoveries on the thermo-mechanical response of structures to fires.
We discuss material properties and perhaps their overestimated role in structural modelling. We go into membrane actions and the role of restraints in shaping the response of beams and slabs to thermal loads. And Asif explains to me what this means at a scale of a building frame. Some truly remarkable insights - things that today are perhaps obvious to any structural engineer, but at that time were an unknown fire behaviour.
Here are some links to the papers related to today's episode: Cardington https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379711201000376 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0143974X01000049 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379711204000116
Thank you to the SFPE for recognizing me with the 2025 SFPE Fire Safety Engineering Award! Huge thanks to YOU for being a part of this, and big thanks to the OFR for supporting me over the years.
---- The Fire Science Show is produced by the Fire Science Media in collaboration with OFR Consultants. Thank you to the podcast sponsor for their continuous support towards our mission.
Enhance your understanding of Fire Science Show with My Podcast Data
At My Podcast Data, we strive to provide in-depth, data-driven insights into the world of podcasts. Whether you're an avid listener, a podcast creator, or a researcher, the detailed statistics and analyses we offer can help you better understand the performance and trends of Fire Science Show. From episode frequency and shared links to RSS feed health, our goal is to empower you with the knowledge you need to stay informed and make the most of your podcasting experience. Explore more shows and discover the data that drives the podcast industry.
