How should Countermeasures against Post-earthquake Urban Fire-spreading be for Near Future?

– Change of Urban Structure and Local Social Situation and Main Issues of Prevention from Post-earthquake Urban Fires –

Abstract

Japanese urbanized area has vulnerability to urban fire-spreading as shown a urban fire-spreading occurred in Itoigawa city on Dec. 26, 2016. Urban structure and situation of local communities has changed although basic structure of urban fire-spreading measures has remained old style. In this paper, I firstly discussed two issues required to correspond to recent physical and social change: 1) how long will urban vulnerability to urban fire-spreading continue as one of most major problems?, 2) how should be the level of a goal?, and then I showed there directions of measures to be done near future: 3) comprehensive measures at district level in consideration of limitation of measures at city level such as evacuation are and urban fire compartments, 4) hybrid measures at district level of urban physical improvement and capacity improvement fire-fighting,5) measures at building level combined to urban physical improvement.