Analysis, evaluation, and recommendations for fire risks in timber mosques: The case of Sivri̇hisar grand mosque

Fire disasters constitute a significant global and national threat, frequently causing substantial loss of life and property. For cultural heritage, particularly historic structures, fire poses the foremost danger, holding the potential to obliterate both the physical form and cultural identity of a site. Consequently, the fire protection of historic buildings, coupled with the implementation of non-damaging, structure-specific mitigation strategies, is of paramount importance. In Turkey, this awareness led to the 2002 promulgation of the "Regulation on Fire Protection of Buildings," with a dedicated section on "Historic Structures" added in 2009. Fire prevention is posited as a collective social responsibility—extending beyond authorized agencies—vital for the preservation of cultural heritage for future generations. The primary objective of this study is to investigate and minimize fire risks in historic wooden structures, specifically focusing on the ensuring fire safety and heritage conservation in wooden mosques. The scope of this thesis is defined by the Great Mosque of Sivrihisar, which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023.The central aim is to diagnose the mosque's current condition and inherent fire risks, subsequently identifying and proposing comprehensive security measures—to be implemented pre-fire, during a fire event, and post-fire—to achieve maximum risk minimization. This objective is realized through a six-phased methodology: commencing with the identification of fire risks in historic wooden structures as a research problem, proceeding through a detailed analysis of the existing condition and adequacy of current measures at the Great Mosque of Sivrihisar, and concluding with a regulatory evaluation and the presentation of expert recommendations. This research endeavors to establish a foundation for future fire risk management plans applicable to the Ulu Mosque and similar heritage structures, thereby providing an original contribution to the existing literature.