California plan to ban most plants within 5 feet of homes for wildfire safety overlooks some important truths about flammability

Hedges and trees may actually reduce home exposure to radiant heat and flying embers, but they must be well maintained. Two scientists who study how plants burn explain.

Luca Carmignani, Assistant Professor of Engineering, San Diego State University • conversation
June 2, 2025 ~8 min

Saltwater flooding is a serious fire threat for EVs and other devices with lithium-ion batteries

If you live in a flood-prone area, especially near the ocean, it’s important to know the risks if your EV is flooded. Or your golf cart, e-bike or other device with lithium-ion batteries.

Xinyu Huang, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of South Carolina • conversation
Nov. 15, 2024 ~8 min


Grenfell victims were ‘overcome by toxic gases’ – this is the deadly construction loophole that helped cause their deaths

Manufacturers have to provide information on the fire behaviour of construction products, but there is no requirement to quantify the toxicity of the smoke.

Richard Hull, Professor of Chemistry and Fire Science, University of Central Lancashire • conversation
Sept. 4, 2024 ~6 min

How to protect your home from wildfires – here’s what fire prevention experts say is most important

Roofs, windows and siding all affect how vulnerable a home is and how likely it is to survive a wildfire. So does what’s around it in the ‘home ignition zone.’

Chris Moran, Post-doctoral Researcher, Fire Center, University of Montana • conversation
July 16, 2024 ~7 min

Lithium-ion battery fires are a growing public safety concern − here's how to reduce the risk

Lithium-ion batteries power many electric cars, bikes and scooters. When they are damaged or overheated, they can ignite or explode. Four engineers explain how to handle these devices safely.

Morteza Sabet, Research Assistant Professor of Automotive Engineering, Clemson University • conversation
Sept. 26, 2023 ~10 min

Why do smoke alarms keep going off even when there's no smoke?

An electrical engineer explains how smoke detectors work, and how to reduce the chances of a false positive.

MVS Chandrashekhar, Assistant professor of electrical engineering, University of South Carolina • conversation
Jan. 8, 2021 ~5 min

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