Fire Science Show
Fire Science Show
Wojciech Wegrzynski
243 - 20 Informal Settlement Fire Experiments with Sam Stevens
1 hour 12 minutes Posted Mar 18, 2026 at 8:00 am.
Why Informal Settlements Need Fire Data
Partnership And Show Support
How The Project Started
The Gap In Humanitarian Fire Guidance
Choosing Twenty Shelter Types
Building The Outdoor Test Setup
What Non-Combustible Shelters Reveal
How Light Wind Changes Flame Paths
Combustible Walls And Roof Tradeoffs
When Shelters Burn Completely
Turning Data Into Practical Guidance
Tarpaulin Tents And Misleading Tests
Open Data Report And Next Steps
Closing Thoughts And Next Week
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Show notes
A fire in an informal settlement is not just another small building fire. It can be the first domino in a fast-moving neighborhood event, and the little details like the wall material, roof material, door location, even a light breeze, can decide what happens next. I’m joined by Dr. Sam Stevens from Kindling to unpack a massive FSRI funded experimental program carried out in South Africa that burned twenty different informal and humanitarian shelter types to measure real heat flux, flame exte...