Trends in Vegetation fires in South and Southeast Asian Countries

Krishna Prasad Vadrevu,Wilfrid Schroeder,Chris Justice,Kristofer Lasko,Louis Giglio,Sumalika Biswas

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-43940-x

Abstract

We assessed the fire trends from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (2003–2016) and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) (2012–2016) in South/Southeast Asia (S/SEA) at a country level and vegetation types. We also quantified the fire frequencies, anomalies and climate drivers. MODIS data suggested India, Pakistan, Indonesia and Myanmar as having the most fires. Also, the VIIRS-detected fires were higher than MODIS (AQUA and TERRA) by a factor of 7 and 5 in S/SEA. Thirty percent of S/SEA had recurrent fires with the most in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. Statistically-significant increasing fire trends were found for India (p = 0.004), Cambodia (p = 0.001), and Vietnam (p = 0.050) whereas Timor Leste (p = 0.004) had a decreasing trend. An increasing trend in fire radiative power (FRP) were found for Cambodia (p = 0.005), India (0.039), and Pakistan (0.06) and declining trend in Afghanistan (0.041). Fire trends from VIIRS were not significant due to limited duration of data. In S/SEA, fires in croplands were equally frequent as in forests, with increasing fires in India, Pakistan, and Vietnam. Specific to climate drivers, precipitation could explain more variations in fires than the temperature with stronger correlations in Southeast Asia than South Asia. Our results on fire statistics including spatial geography, variations, frequencies, anomalies, trends, and climate drivers can be useful for fire management in S/SEA countries.

Highlights

Vegetation fires are a common phenomenon in many different regions of the world including South/Southeast Asia (S/SEA)
Using the above satellite fire data, we address the following questions specific to vegetation fire trends in S/SEA countries: Are vegetation fires increasing or decreasing in Asian countries? Which of those countries show the highest vegetation fire concentration? Are the vegetation fire trends consistent between the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) data? How do fire trends vary across land cover types How does fire radiative power (FRP), which is an indicator of fire intensity, vary across different vegetation types and what are the trends? We address these questions using both the MODIS and VIIRS fire datasets
Of the different countries, increasing trend in fires were found for India (p = 0.004), Cambodia (p = 0.001), and Vietnam (p = 0.050) and decreasing trend for Timor Leste (p = 0.004)

Summary

Introduction

Vegetation fires are a common phenomenon in many different regions of the world including South/Southeast Asia (S/SEA). The pollutants can be transported over long distances impacting local climate, and regional climate[39,40] Considering these impacts, characterizing fires in different regions of the world is important, including in S/SEA countries. Umd.edu/index.php), fire products from the Joint Polar Satellite System Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) data have been readily available since 2012 (http://VIIRSfire.geog.umd.edu/). These satellite fire data records provide a unique opportunity to assess fire trends in different regions of the world. The results on the vegetation fire trends can help to address fire management and mitigation related issues including drivers in different countries

Methods

Results

Conclusion