Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

This paper discusses the possibility of applying the statistical theory of extreme values to data on monetary losses due to large fires in buildings. The theory is surveyed in order to impart the necessary background picture. With the logarithm of loss as the variate, an initial distribution of the exponential type is assumed. Hence use of the first asymptotic distribution of largest values is illustrated. Extreme order statistics other than the largest are also discussed. Uses of these statistics are briefly outlined. Suggestions for further research are also made.