• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.355-373
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• 2015

In this study the factors of fire damage are analyzed through previous research reviews. Local environmental factors as well as those factors attributed to fire damage (number of fire events, number of injured, number of death, economic loss) were selected to compose mutual relationship model. In order to verify this relationship model, official statistics concerning fire damage were collected from 228 local governments and compared with results from previous research. As a result of this comparison four dependent variables and 22 independent variables that affect fire damage were analyzed. Independent variables are divided into human vulnerability factors, physical vulnerability factors, economic vulnerability factors, mitigating factors and local characteristics. To analyze a relationship between selected dependent variables and independent variables, we applied a semi-logarithm model and performed regression analysis. Among the 22 independent variables, the number of the weak to disaster, social welfare service workers, workers in manufacturing industry, and the number of workers in restaurants and bars per 10,000 people show the significant correlation with the number of fire incidence. The number of death from fire is significantly related to two variables which are the number of social welfare service workers per 10,000 and the ratio of commercial area. Damage cost is significantly dependent on the property taxes per 10,000 people. These factors were included in the research model as vulnerability factors (human, physical, economic) and mitigating factors and local characteristics, and the validity of research model was verified. The result could contribute to fire-fighting resource allocation in Korea or they can be utilized in establishing fire prevention policy, which will enhance the national level of fire safety.