Simulating fire-safe cities using a machine learning-based algorithm for the complex urban forms of developing nations: a case of Mumbai India

The article addresses the void in developing analytical methods concerning to design urban configurations that could reduce fire risks, and, thus, could help in achieving sustainable goals. A novel algorithm is developed to generate alternative Urban Built Form (UBF) models that could be less susceptible to fire compared to the existing built-form. Fire susceptibility of a generated UBF is predicted using a developed linear regression model. The algorithm considers existing regulations to derive rules and develop scenarios that might be effective in building fire-resilient cities. The outcomes of the simulations showed a significant decrease in the fire susceptibility of the southern region of Mumbai city. Moreover, for a certain simulated scenario the predicted UBF could accommodate twice the current population while being less susceptible than the existing UBF. The proposed techniques and methods can act as a decision-making tool in taking pre-emptive planning measures to develop fire resilient cities.