Protecting　large-scale　heritage　settlements　from　being　damaged　by　fires　has　become　increasingly　crucial　in　developing　areas　that　lack　adequate　legislation,　emergency　planning,　and　particularly　efficient　techniques.　This　study　provides　a　systematic　emergency　assessment　methodology　for　evaluating　the　accessibility　of　specific　fire-fighting　techniques　to　mitigate　fire　hazards　in　historical　towns　and　examines　how　the　integration　of　municipal　and　local　fire　services　works.　Specifically,　this　paper　examines　the　accessibility　of　fire　trucks,　local　fire　services　and　the　overall　protection　capacity.　There　are　quantitative　calculations　of　the　obstruction　degrees　on　main　streets,　the　feasible　moving　distances　of　fire-fighting　vehicles　and　firefighters　at　a　given　time,　and　the　fire　protection　coverage　and　intensity　in　each　town.　Using　these　methods,　this　paper　systematically　assesses　the　fire　resistance　of　three　historical　towns,　Chuansha,　Gaoqiao　and　Fengjing,　as　case　studies.　In　contrast　to　previous　studies　focusing　on　the　vulnerability　of　buildings　in　large　historical　settlements,　this　assessment　method　combines　an　examination　of　street　networks　and　various　emergency　response　techniques　and　is　particularly　applicable　to　developing　areas.(c)　2022　Higher　Education　Press　Limited　Company.　Publishing　services　by　Elsevier　B.V.　on　behalf　of　KeAi　Communications　Co.　Ltd.　This　is　an　open　access　article　under　the　CC　BY-NC-ND　license　(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).