Virtual Reality offers an immersive, interactive and evocative experience to demonstrate the unpredictability of fire
FireSIM, a Virtual Fire Scene Environment (VFSE) built by Sheffield Hallam University, has been demonstrated at the inaugural IFIRE Conference in Worcester (Massachusetts, US) throughout the second week of May 2025. Working with researchers at the University of Portsmouth and informed by fire experts within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Fire Service, FireSIM is an immersive virtual reality experience that simulates the hazards and consequences of arson. Designed to be used by convicted arsonists as part of their rehabilitation, FireSIM aimed to demonstrated how dramatically unpredictable the spread of fire can be, how quickly it can escalate beyond all control, and beyond expected boundaries. Development leveraged cutting edge games technologies to produce an immersive and evocative experience within which a user would start a fire in a virtual domestic environment and quickly find themselves surrounded by flames and enveloped as a wall of smoke descends from the ceiling.
The project was set against a background where deliberate fire setting is recognised as a significant public health problem. In England, over 40% of fires attended by Fire and Rescue Services are classified as deliberate. The National Fire Chiefs' Council arson reduction strategy has emphasised the need for greater resources and programmes targeting those likely to engage in arson.
Following user-testing with both experts within the fire service and several individuals previously convicted of arson, FireSIM yielded promising results, and the team are now looking to adapt the prototype into a complete VR solution for national deployment as part of the UK FIRE-P programme. The project also presents a compelling real-world use case for virtual reality as an engaging and immersive learning experience, offering greater impactful when compared with traditional methods.