Abstract: Natural spontaneous combustion in goaf areas, as one of the critical factors severely impacting coal mine safety production, requires the essential condition of coal residue accumulation in the goaf. Under varying production geological conditions and at different burial depths, the heat transfer efficiency of hightemperature points in goaf coal residues is pivotal in triggering fires and implementing preventive measures. This study simulates goaf coal residue accumulation using thin-walled coal-filled square boxes with high heat transfer performance, models internal high-temperature points with constant-temperature heat sources of different powers, and employs infrared thermal imaging technology to detect surface temperature variation patterns, thereby revealing the influence of burial depth on coal residue heat transfer efficiency. Results indicate: when the heat source burial depth ranges between 100–300 mm and 500–700 mm, the temperature rise rate generally exhibits decreasing and increasing trends, respectively. During goaf spontaneous combustion prevention, priority should be given to coal residue thickness within the 300–500 mm range. A greater temperature gap between the heat source and coal pile surface corresponds to a larger average temperature gradient. For heat sources at the same burial depth, the closer to the heat source center, the higher the average temperature gradient inside the coal pile, which gradually decreases toward the surface direction. For underground goaf high-temperature zones and their actual temperature assessment, the coal residue accumulation thickness can be determined based on the working face coal loss diagram. Subsequently, the average temperature gradient value can be derived from the fitted correlation relationship, and combined with the coal residue thickness, the temperature of the central high-temperature point can be calculated to implement precise prevention measures.