Rationalisation is a key driver in the agricultural sector leading to an increase in the size of production buildings and an increase in the level of mechanisation. In the wake of rationalisation, the electric and electronic installations on a modern farm are ever more complex. It also leads to storing growing quantities of highly flammable materials, such as hay and straw, together with the animals in the same buildings. All of this increases the fire risk and fire losses.

On one hand, regulations permit huge numbers of animals to be kept inside single buildings. On the other hand, smoke is the biggest cause of death for both humans and animals. This makes the evacuation in the event of a fire a highly complex matter.