Social and economic characteristics as determinants of residential fire risk in urban neighborhoods: A review of the literature

The article reviews the literature on social, economic, and building stock characteristics as they relate to residential fire risk in urban neighborhoods. The article updates a previous review of the literature, and provides an overview of recent activity and emergent research directions. A multidisciplinary review of the literature includes sociology, geography, urban planning, and interdisciplinary studies. Whereas multiple regression modeling was the most prevalent technique, the adoption of geographic information systems and advancement of theories on fire risk have deepened and expanded the techniques used, particularly in the area of geography and spatial statistics. Despite recent progress, the state of research continues to be underfunded and isolated within disciplines, frustrating broader application of findings to actual preventive activity by governments. The article also offers suggestions for further research.