Dubai Civil Defence chiefs analysed the last five years' data relating to fire incidents to identify the emirate's fire-risk hot spots and to prevent major blazes.
The authority has launched a smart system to predict fire-prone areas and the probable time, allowing them to deliver targeted safety messages to help save lives.
Officials said alerts will be sent to residents who live in 'red zones' which have recorded the highest number of fires.
The Dubai Readiness programme was launched on Tuesday and is aimed at raising public awareness to reduce numbers of fires in the future.
“The system can identify the red zones in Dubai and know the reason behind the fires,” said DCD's Captain Essa Al Mutawa.
“A link with an awareness video will be sent through SMS to residents in red zone areas to avoid future fires.”
Targeting at-risk neighbourhoods
Capt Al Mutawa said fire risks spike during certain periods of the year such as Diwali when many families fill their homes with candles, set off fireworks and drape lights across their balconies.
“We identify which areas have frequent fires due to Diwali celebrations and send awareness messages to the population in that area on how to celebrate safely and what things they need to avoid,” Capt Al Mutawa said.
Leading causes of fires uncovered by the comprehensive data analysis include people smoking inside buildings or in balconies, poor storage of flammable items in industrial areas, gas leaks, electrical faults and using firewood or coal to heat rooms.
The senior official said fires are more prevalent in some areas during the cooler winter months.
“During winter, there are fires in desert camps and tents because of barbecues, so we will send messages about what they can do for prevention,” he said.
Capt Al Mutawa said he was inspired to delve into data analysis after studying Google's emotional intelligence system.
He was honoured for developing the fire prevention measure by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed, Chairman of Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, at the Intersec safety, security and fire protection trade fair.
DCD has turned to technology to create an avatar of a fire department official to speak about safety procedures in different languages.
Lt Gen Rashid Al Matrooshi, director general of DCD, believes the online initiative will ensure that fire safety message is spread far and wide.
“It’s a better way to reach people rather than awareness fliers or sending officers to speak to people about safety procedures. Using AI will cut time and effort,” Lt Gen Al Matrooshi said.
“The system will generate awareness messages in 20 languages and we aim to have 198 languages in the future.”
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Fixtures
Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am
Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am
Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am
Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
