Inadequate planning, infrastructure, and construction practices related to fire prevention and mitigation significantly increase the potential for conflagration, fire ignition and spread. Fire risk reduction requires articulated institutional measures to strengthen fire suppression capability, education and training. Proven approaches through building and fire regulation include appropriate enabling legislation; well-designed and implemented building and fire regulations; and adequate capacity to undertake building fire safety plan reviews and construction inspections.
However, formal regulation alone is insufficient to tackle this challenge. Informal settlements, where an estimated 25% of the world’s urban population live, are often out of the formal regulatory scope and particularly at risk due to several factors such as high population density, overcrowding, highly combustible building materials and lack of water infrastructure.