Rank: Forum user 
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Hi All, Has anyone any experience of formulating fire prevention plans (specifically for waste sites or generally)? A client of mine has asked me to assist or at least provide some guidance. The fire prevention plan nees to fulfill the following: " taken into account the calculation of flame height and radiation in preventing the spread of fire between piles (of waste)". Any help gratefully received. Steve
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Rank: Super forum user
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There are some mathmatical forumla available for estimating thermal radiation output from fires. Also flame height. Although, from memory I'm not sure they are suitable for solid fires, they are meant for use for liquid/oil based fires. In my experience they are rarely used, in the oil & gas industry software by DNV - 'PHAST; is used for such calculations. PHAST isn't meant for use on solid fires.
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Rank: Super forum user
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No idea how good these calculators are http://www.koverholt.com/flame-height-and-plume-centerline-temperature-calculator/
http://www.pdhonline.com/courses/m312/Flame%20Height.pdf
The maths quickly gets interesting!!
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Rank: Super forum user
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There are a huge number of variables - the packing fraction, the fuel, the oxygen supply, the draught, and so on. Radiation can be considerable - your domestic sofa could be capable of radiating 1 MW at its peak (yes, really, a megawatt), so it is not hard to see that within about three minutes a sofa fire causes flashover to its surroundings.
The Building Research Establishment has done some work on fire, so it may be worth browsing their site.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I carry out fire risk assessments, have done for many years, but I would not do this one as it is out of my comfort zone.
If this formulae is required to be used then you need a highly competent Fire Engineer to carry out your fire risk assessment for you.
I am not suggesting you are not capable of learning this but it would be better if you didn't. That is my personal opinion.
The Institution of Fire Engineers may be best to provide further guidance as they qualify through examinations in fire engineering and their better qualified Engineers will know what you need.
I am Graduate Fire Engineer qualified and this is over my head.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
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Rank: Super forum user
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The Environment Agency (in association with the Chief Fire Oficers Assoc) have produced a fire prevention on waste sites guidance note that contains information that you may be able to use as a baseline standard
http://www.cfoa.org.uk/16192
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Rank: Super forum user
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I know nothing about fire safety but surely the emphasis should
be on preventing the piles of rubbish catching fire in the first place rather
than worrying about the likelihood a fire spreading between stacks of waste. As
Jane said this can only be a guessitmate at best. A strong wind will spread a
fire further, so do you take the likelihood of there being a strong wind into
account and do you select the average wind speed for your location or the worst
case scenario. What about a summer when it does not rain for months. Do you
stack the waste closer together during the winter and spread it out in summer?
When do transit from winter to summer? And so it goes….
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