Fire Safety in Displacement – Quantifying Risk, Informing Response

Displaced populations face increasing threats from fire-related hazards, yet fire safety remains critically overlooked in humanitarian planning. Overcrowding, flammable shelter materials, and inadequate infrastructure contribute to frequent and devastating fire incidents in displacement sites. As climate change intensifies heat and drought conditions, the danger is rising rapidly across displacement contexts globally. In response, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched the Fire Safety in Displacement report, introducing the Fire Risk Index (FRI) - a practical, site-level tool that quantifies fire susceptibility using behavioural, environmental, and climate data. The FRI enables humanitarian actors to assess risks, prioritize mitigation efforts, and inform evidence-based preparedness strategies. Through this report, IOM calls for coordinated global action to address fire risk in displacement settings as an urgent protection and resilience issue.