Structural Fire as an Urban Parasite: Population Density Dependence of Structural Fire in New York City, and its Implications

Abstract

In further exploration of structural fire as an urban parasite, the influence of areal population density and housing overcrowding on incidence and average size of structural fires is analyzed. Because the more people per square mile and per room the greater the incidence and size of the structural fires, the destruction of housing by fire and fire-related building abandonment creates fertile ground for even greater fire damage due to the crowding of the refugees into the remaining housing stock. The vicious circle of housing overcrowding and fire holds serious implications with respect to other density dependent factors, such as public health, the public transportation system, and sanitation. Parasitology continues to provide insight into the mechanisms of the behavior of structural fire and its impacts.