As urbanization rates rise across the globe, so too do the threats of wildland-urban interface (WUI) fires. These types of fires occur at the increasingly blurred borderlines of urban and forest areas, where cars, gas cookers, and batteries provide additional sources of combustion, intensifying a wildfire's spread.

Japan is no exception. Last year, the Ofunato WUI fire in Japan resulted in the largest burned area in over 50 years when a wildfire in Iwate Prefecture quickly enveloped the surrounding areas, resulting in 3,370 hectares being burned, the destruction of 226 structures, and the tragic death of one person. This year too, forest fires have raged extensively just north of Tokyo, underscoring the importance of preparedness.

Still, developing adequate international standards has failed to keep pace with the increasing prevalence of WUI fires. One academic who has strived to change this is visiting professor at Tohoku University's Institute of Fluid Science, Samuel L. Manzello.

He has served as a convener of ISO TC92/WG14, a formal working group called the Large Outdoor Fires and the Built Environment Task Group, since 2019

It was because of his vast experience in fire safety engineering that Manzello was first invited in September 2024 to present at the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), which gives independent advice to EU policymakers across a wide array of fields.

"While I am not an EU citizen, the JRC of the EU kindly made me part of their excellent fire safety engineering network to share my expertise on WUI fires with the EU," says Manzello.

Manzello's expertise helped contribute to the November 2025 JRC report, Prospects for Implementation of Fire Safety Engineering Approach in Europe. This report was cited as a working document (Staff Working Document SWD(2025) 1053 "Understanding the Housing Crisis") that would accompany the recently proposed European Affordable Housing Plan which incorporates fire protection as a crucial aspect in the quest to facilitate affordable, sustainable, and quality housing.

These efforts underscore the importance of international collaboration when it comes to fire engineering research. "The WUI fire problem is truly global and is not bound by any country, but there is a need to help one another," adds Manzello.

In May of 2026, Manzello will travel to the EU JRC offices in Ispra, Italy, to deliver a seminar to JRC researchers. As part of this trip, he hopes to establish a formal research collaboration with researchers at the JRC, as significant efforts are needed to address the global WUI fire problem.

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