Fire from the Sky in the Anthropocene

Paulo M Fernandes,Fernando Castedo-Dorado,Rui Almeida,João A Santos

doi:10.3390/fire4010013

Abstract

Lightning-caused fires (LCFs) and fire environments influenced by thunderstorms are increasingly implicated in extreme wildfire events around the world, with devastating consequences to society and the environment. However, the disaster potential inherent to LCFs is often neglected, especially where the fire regime is determined mostly by anthropogenic ignitions. Such disconnect between perceived risk and actual risk is illustrated with the Iberian Peninsula, where thunderstorm-driven wildfires are comparatively rare but have resulted in large-scale burning and considerable loss of human life. Even low LCF regions should embrace fire management strategies able to cope with LCFs.

Highlights

Lightning is the prevailing ignition source in many remote or scarcely populated parts of the world, and those fires tend to be larger and more intense than human-caused fires [1].“Dry” lightning storms can ignite many fires over short periods of time and relatively vast areas and in locations less predictable and accessible than those of human-caused fires
Such neglect and focus on human agency can happen even when fire statistics indicate a significant role of lightning-caused fires (LCFs) in the fire regime, e.g., in temperate Australia [8]
LCFs accounted for an average of 4.1% of all wildfires (≥0.01 ha) and 5% of the total surface burned in Spain throughout 1968–2015

Summary

Introduction

Lightning is the prevailing ignition source in many remote or scarcely populated parts of the world, and those fires tend to be larger and more intense than human-caused fires [1]. Regardless of the ignition cause, thunderstorm wind flows can drastically change the behaviour of on-going fires, amplifying fire–atmosphere interactions and leading to erratic and destructive firestorms. Such was the case of the Pedrogão. In human-dominated landscapes, such as in southern Europe, LCFs comprise a small fraction of the total number of fires, and so are commonly perceived as irrelevant. Such neglect and focus on human agency can happen even when fire statistics indicate a significant role of LCFs in the fire regime, e.g., in temperate Australia [8].

Lightning-Caused Fires in the Iberian Peninsula

Findings

Conclusions