The risk of urban fires has become increasingly prominent with the deepening of urbanization. Due to their high destructiveness, there is a growing demand for faster emergency response rates. This study aims to optimize urban fire emergency rescue schemes for mitigating fire-induced losses. Targeting urban fire emergency rescue, we propose an improved Traffic Signal-Constrained Improved A-star (TSC-A) algorithm that accounts for the impact of traffic pressure on emergency dispatch. By integrating traffic light indirect control to regulate traffic flow, the algorithm reduces rescue time effectively. We set multiple parameters to evaluate how traffic pressure influences dispatch efficiency and verified the algorithm’s superiority across various scenarios through experiments. Finally, taking the actual layout of a location in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province as a case study, we conducted simulations under diverse conditions using AnyLogic simulation software, confirming the method’s feasibility. TSC-A algorithm with traffic light control demonstrates more significant time savings as traffic pressure increases and outperforms the original algorithm consistently, providing a robust solution for reducing disaster losses.