University of Waterloo researchers study modern home fire behavior

Researchers at the University of Waterloo are developing a system to predict critical transitions in modern house fires. Because contemporary homes are built with high insulation and airtight windows to save energy, fire behavior has changed; oxygen is consumed more rapidly, altering combustion chemistry and increasing the production of toxic smoke.

To study this, researchers conducted 15 controlled burns in an experimental house on campus. Using 175 sensors to monitor temperature, humidity, airflow, and gas concentrations, the team generated massive datasets. They are now applying statistical methods and machine learning to identify the specific moment a fire shifts into a more dangerous phase, such as a ventilation-limited fire where incomplete combustion creates higher levels of toxic gases.