Fire following earthquake in the Vancouver region
To assess the risk of fire following earthquake and identify opportunities to reduce the risk, five scenario events are examined for the number of fires and amount of firespread they would cause. Accounting for fire department response, water system damage, weather and other conditions, the growth and ultimate final burnt area of fires are estimated to result in losses from nil to $10 billion.
The Lower Mainland of British Columbia has significant earthquake hazard and potential for ground motions that will cause significant damage to ordinary buildings and infrastructure. Earthquakes are sometimes followed by major fires, whose damage can greatly exceed the shaking damage.
Find here the specific initial steps mentioned in the executive summary to reduce the risk of fire following an earthquake:
- Enhanced post-earthquake firefighting water supply
- Secondary water supply for high-rise buildings
- Seismic natural gas shutoff valves
Explore further
