Forest Fire Events Research Articles

Lightning modelling for the research of forest fire ignition in Portugal

The study aims to assess the applicability of the current Meso-NH electrical scheme (CELLS) in the investigation of forest fire ignition. Therefore, the challenge is to diagnose cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning at 1 km spatial resolution and, subsequently, preferred regions where Forest Fire Events (FFE) could be naturally ignited. The afternoon of 17th June 2017 has been considered for the study, since the dry thunderstorm environment configured a perfect scenario for natural ignition and evolution of some fires. The Pedrógão Grande wildfire ignited in this period and was the deadliest single fire event in the Portuguese history, with at least 60 people killed. The available observational data are used to validate the numerical results and to provide a brief characterization of the meteorological environment when jointly analysed with the simulation. In addition, cloud microphysics and cloud electrical structure are explored from the model results. The spatial distribution of the simulated CG lightning showed a good agreement with the lightning strokes obtained from the national lightning detection network. Overall, this paper introduces a possible application of the Meso-NH electrical scheme, namely the study of forest fire ignition by lightning strokes.

Examining the effects of forest fire on terrestrial carbon emission and ecosystem production in India using remote sensing approaches

Remote sensing techniques are effectively used for measuring the overall loss of terrestrial ecosystem productivity and biodiversity due to forest fires. The current research focuses on assessing the impacts of forest fires on terrestrial ecosystem productivity in India during 2003–2017. Spatiotemporal changes of satellite remote sensing derived burn indices were estimated for both fire and normal years to analyze the association between forest fires and ecosystem productivity. Two Light Use Efficiency (LUE) models were used to quantify the terrestrial Net Primary Productivity (NPP) of the forest ecosystem using the open-source and freely available remotely sensed data. A novel approach (delta NPP/delta burn indices) is developed to quantify the effects of forest fires on terrestrial carbon emission and ecosystem production. During 2003–2017, the forest fire intensity was found to be very high (>2000) across the eastern Himalayan hilly region, which is mostly covered by dense forest and thereby highly susceptible to wildfires. Scattered patches of intense forest fires were also detected in the lower Himalayan and central Indian states. The spatial correlation between the burn indices and NPP were mainly negative (−0.01 to −0.89) for the fire-prone states as compared to the other neighbouring regions. Additionally, the linear approximation between the burn indices and NPP showed a positive relation (0.01 to 0.63), suggesting a moderate to high impact of the forest fires on the ecosystem production and terrestrial carbon emission. The present approach has the potential to quantify the loss of ecosystem productivity due to forest fires.

Simulating the effect of forest fires, cuttings, and increased nitrogen deposition on dynamics of key forest ecosystem properties and processes in Russian North-West

The improved version of simulation model EFIMOD 2 was used for the estimation of forest ecosystem dynamics and analysis of basic linkages between stand structure, environment, and external factors, such as cuttings, forest fires, increased nitrogen deposition, which were considered both separately and in combination, in different boreal forest types of European Russia. According to the simulation results, increasing role of Norway spruce during the undisturbed development resulted in enrichment of forest floor and mineral soil by nitrogen by 5 and 10%, respectively. In contrast, fires promoted increase in Scots pine portion in stand composition, decrease in forest floor pool by 31%, in comparison with undisturbed development. Cuttings had the impact on stocks of soil organic matter through the decreased litter fall input that resulted from partial removal of tree biomass. The combined effect of fires and cuttings on ecosystem carbon pools was about 17% smaller than could be expected from the simple sum of the effects of both factors, which means that impact of one factor reduces (by affecting the same components of ecosystems) the possibility for negative influence of another one. The gradual increase in nitrogen deposition from 1.5 to 3.0 kg ha−1 year−1 for northern taiga and from 3.0 to 4.5 kg ha−1 year−1 for middle taiga by the end of 100-year simulation period had a positive influence on the carbon and nitrogen accumulation in trees’ biomass and soil organic matter (35% higher than in scenario without disturbances), thus partly overwhelming the impact from fires and cuttings. The important feature of the study is that the quantitative differences of stand and soil parameters between forest site types were revealed as well.

The effect of forest fire on the Squirrel and Tree Shrew community dynamic in Southern Sumatra

A study to investigate the effect of forest fire on the dynamic of squirrel and tree shrew community was conducted in the south of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP), Lampung, Indonesia. The park is surrounded by agricultural and plantation areas but contains some of the largest intact tracts of lowland forest remaining on the island which undergoing the most rapid forest conversion. The study focused on 8 squirrel (Ratufa bicolor, R. affinis, Callosciurus notatus, C. nigrovittatus, Sundasciurus hippurus, S. lowii, S. tenuis, and Lariscus insignis; Mammalia: Rodentia) and 3 tree shrew species (Tupaia tana, T. glis and T. minor; Mammalia: Scandentia) and described how pre- and post-fire conditions of habitat affect the density and distribution of squirrels and tree shrews in the study area. Data were collected before the fire in 1997, then each year subsequently after that until 2001. The study showed that density was significantly lower after the fire and in the burned area. The ground dwelling species were the most suffered species as fire destroyed their preferred disturbed habitat more severely than the undisturbed ones. The study has showed that fire caused changes in habitats and would change the structure of the animal community.

Long-term ecological consequences of forest fires in the continuous permafrost zone of Siberia

Wildfires are an important factor in controlling forest ecosystem dynamics across the circumpolar boreal zone. An improved understanding of their direct and indirect, short- to long-term impacts on vegetation cover and permafrost–vegetation coupling is particularly important to predict changes in carbon, nutrient and water cycles under projected climate warming. Here, we apply dendrochronological techniques on a multi-parameter dataset to reconstruct the effect of wildfires on tree growth and seasonal permafrost thaw depth in Central Siberia. Based on annually-resolved and absolutely dated information from 19 Gmelin larch (Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr.) trees and active soil layer thickness measurements, we find substantial stand-level die-off, as well as the removal of ground vegetation and the organic layer following a major wildfire in 1896. Reduced stem growth coincides with increased δ13C in the cellulose of the surviving trees during the first decade after the wildfire, when stomatal conductance was reduced. The next six to seven decades are characterized by increased permafrost active soil layer thickness. During this period of post-wildfire ecosystem recovery, enhanced tree growth together with positive δ13C and negative δ18O trends are indicative of higher rates of photosynthesis and improved water supply. Afterwards, a thinner active soil layer leads to reduced growth because tree physiological processes become limited by summer temperature and water availability. Revealing long-term effects of forest fires on active soil layer thickness, ground vegetation composition and tree growth, this study demonstrates the importance of complex vegetation–permafrost interactions that modify the trajectory of post-fire forest recovery across much of the circumpolar boreal zone. To further quantify the influence of boreal wildfires on large-scale carbon cycle dynamics, future work should consider a wide range of tree species from different habitats in the high-northern latitudes.

Effect of northern boreal forest fires on PAH fluctuations across the arctic

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and forest or biomass burning. PAHs undergo long-range atmospheric transport, as evidenced by in situ observations across the Arctic. However, monitored atmospheric concentrations of PAHs indicate that ambient PAH levels in the Arctic do not follow the declining trend of worldwide anthropogenic PAH emissions since the 2000s, suggesting missing sources of PAHs in the Arctic or other places across the Northern Hemisphere. To trace origins and causes for the increasing trend of PAHs in the Arctic, the present study reconstructed PAH emissions from forest fires in the northern boreal forest derived by combining forest carbon stocks and MODIS burned area. We examined the statistical relationships of forest biomass, MODIS burned area, emission factors, and combustion efficiency with different PAH congeners. These relationships were then employed to construct PAH emission inventories from forest biomass burning. We show that for some PAH congeners, for example, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)—the forest-fire-induced air emissions are almost one order of magnitude higher than previous emission inventories in the Arctic. A global-scale atmospheric chemistry model, GEOS-Chem, was used to simulate air concentrations of BaP, a representative PAH congener primarily emitted from biomass burning, and to quantify the response of BaP to wildfires in the northern boreal forest. The results showed that BaP emissions from wildfires across the northern boreal forest region played a significant role in the contamination and interannual fluctuations of BaP in Arctic air. A source-tagging technique was applied in tracking the origins of BaP pollution from different northern boreal forest regions. We also show that the response of BaP pollution at different Arctic monitoring sites depends on the intensity of human activities.

Studi Tingkat Keanekaragaman Hayati Lahan Bekas Terbakar di Taman Nasional Sebangau & Kawasan Hutan Dengan Tujuan Khusus (KHDTK) Tumbang Nusa

The forest and land fires in 2015 caused severe damage to forest areas at Sebangau National Park and KHDTK Tumbang Nusa, where the condition has not to be able to recover as before. This research objective is knowing the effect of forest and land fires on vegetation and the succession process that is happened at TN. Sebangau and KHDTK Tumbang Nusa with methodology field survey and making plots (PU) on the burnt and un-burnt forest for the comparison. Data observation and collection were done appropriately with the vegetation strata, namely the level of seedlings, saplings, poles, and trees. The data analysis used quantitative with calculating the Species Dominance, Species Diversity, Species Richness, and Species Evenness.The research result shows the un-burnt land was observed in TN. Sebangau there are 29 vegetation species, meanwhile the burnt land there are found only rejuvenation level plants, namely Seedlings and Saplings where there are two vegetation species at TN. Sabangau and 4 vegetation species at KHDTK. For species dominance is indicated by a high INP value, the greater value of INP means the forest composition is good enough in terms of density and frequency of species presence. In Sebangau, the highest value of dominance is Tutup Kabali (Diospyros pseudomalabarica) for the tree level, Rambutan Hutan (Nephelium lappaceum) for pole and sapling levels, and Bangkinang (Elaeocarpus glaber Bl) for seedling level, while in KHDTK is Milas/Tumeh (Combretacarpus rotundatus) for the seedling and sapling levels, and Gerunggang (Cratoxylon arborescens) for pole and tree levels. The Analysis Number of species diversity, richness, and evenness species in the two research locations do not show a high value which from data processing result shows the range is low to moderate, nothing high.On burnt land, the succession process happens very slowly because it experienced the severe degradation of land causing the erosion/ subsidence of soil surface so that the forest floor was flooded as the impact of the open canopy and no shade from the bush that dominated.

Mapping the Causes of Forest Fires in Portugal by Clustering Analysis

This paper presents a spatial characterization of the distribution at district level of the forest fire events that occurred in mainland Portugal between 1996 and 2015 and whose causes were investigated. We further examine the breakdown of the causes of these forest fires over this period. Results supported by relevant validated statistics show that of the total fire events recorded, 94.4% were identified as an effective occurrence, of which 22.2% had burned an area greater than 1 ha, and of these only 42.1% were investigated. False alarms or fires without a recorded burning area are more significant in the districts of Aveiro, Lisbon and Porto, the biggest municipalities. Of the fires whose causes were investigated, the largest number of recorded events were in NE regions (49.0%), followed by NW regions (41.7%), and finally in the rest of the country (9.3%). Taking into account the ratio between the investigated fires and the total number of fires and the behavior profile produced for cluster analysis, a different panorama is brought to light, with the center and south regions showing greater effort to investigate the fires. A thorough analysis of the causes and motivations of the ignition of these forest fire occurrences showed that human activity, either deliberate (20.4%) or negligent (29.9%), outweigh natural phenomena (0.6%). Reactivations (14.6%) and Unknown (34.5%) causes decreased as time passed, whereas negligent and deliberate causes increased. However, these results could change if the percentage of unknown information in relation to the origin of the forest fires is considerable. The outcome of this research will support an efficient management related to fire mitigation and suppression including establishing preventive actions to reduce the occurrence of forest fires and emphasize the need to improve the procedure for recording forest fire events in Portugal, especially in relation to identifying their cause.

Identification of Black Dragon Forest Fire in Amur River Basin Using Satellite Borne NDVI Data and Its Impact on Long Range Transport of Pollutants: A Case Study

The Greater Hinggan Forest was the world’s largest stand of evergreens, along the Black Dragon River (also known as Amur), which forms the border between Chinese Manchuria and Soviet Siberia. Black Dragon fire ranks as one of the worst environmental disasters of the 20th century and it burned about 18 million acres of conifer forest. In the 2nd week of May, 1987, we observe more than 10K rise in brightness temperature over a wide region in the China-Russia border. The weekly mean NDVI data shows the changes in greenness after the forest fire broke out. The NDVI value is positive with persistent greenness and vegetation in the Amur River valley, but from the 2nd week of May onwards the reddish patch appears to spread over the entire region, indicates the burned areas. In addition, we observe the impact of Black Dragon forest fire on tropospheric ozone concentration, aerosol index away from the location over North Pacific Ocean. A clear increase in atmospheric pollutants can be noticed after the forest fire event and the long range transports are confirmed with 72 hours NOAA HYSPLIT forward trajectory analysis.

Prediction of Fire Propagation in Forest Areas using Genetic Algorithm

Forest fire causes significant damages to environment and living organisms. It becomes troublesome to recover from the consequences of forest fire. The early and accurate prediction of forest fire propagation in forest area will help in fire management efforts. The models required for prediction of forest fire spread requires many parameters and which are not known precisely during the emergency. So there is a need of intelligent system to model and predict the propagation of forest fire to reduce the consequences of forest fire and minimize the management efforts. In this work, we have discussed different techniques available in literature for forest fire prediction. This paper also describes the implementation and analysis of prediction of forest fire propagation using Genetic Algorithm and Geometric Semantic Genetic Programming.

Сетецентрический подход к предупреждению и ликвидации лесных пожаров на основе интеграции информационных ресурсов и систем

Introduction. The article analyzes the use of modern information resources and systems in extinguishing wildfires. The approach uses a network-centric system for modern resources and systems integration. Goals and objectives. The purpose of the study is to identify and improve methods and tools for assessing forest fire prevention based on the integration of information resources and systems. Methods. Information-based methods and systems that allow simultaneous analysis of multi-dimensional data using digital maps, simplify the prediction and assessment of the complex effects of forest fires are considered, make it possible to quickly identify the anomalies and take the necessary measures to eliminate them. Results and discussion. Based on the results of the analysis, a generalized structure of the forest fire monitoring system was developed using a network-centric approach. Conclusion. A network-centric monitoring system combines all information resources and systems at all levels and directions. Early monitoring of the current situation, analysis of current operational information about identified thermal points, and modeling of possible scenarios for the development of the situation allows the most effective approach to solving problems of protecting the population and territory from the consequences of forest fires. Combining the advantages of individual modern technologies into a single distributed network-centric system makes it possible to effectively implement the elimination of the consequences of all types of emergencies. Key words: network-centric system, forest fires, forecasting and prevention of emergency situations, information resources and systems.

Effects of moderate forest fires on soil organic carbon density in secondary forests of <i>Pinus massoniana</i>

Effects of moderate forest fires on soil organic carbon density in secondary forests of <i>Pinus massoniana</i>

Ecological and economic analysis of forest use in the exclusion zone

The article considers the problem of radiation pollution, which requires constant research, monitoring, and control. The safety and health of the population, the environment, and the possibility of sustainable development and restoration of natural capacity depend on this topical issue. The paper analyzes the problems of forest use in radiation-contaminated areas and examines the current environmental condition in forest areas of the exclusion zone. The forest use in radioactively contaminated areas is established to be associated with the use of forest resources and functions of forest ecosystems, taking into account the degree of radioactive contamination. Its main goal is to obtain clean products with economic benefits over total environmental, economic, and social costs. Prolonged radioactive contamination of forestry lands, slow self-clearing of forests, and legal restrictions on forest management in conditions of radioactive contamination have determined the special forestry conditions in such areas. Thus, the need to overcome the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster as well as rehabilitation and sustainable development of radioactively contaminated areas determine the study of criteria that are important when choosing a strategy for forest management in environmentally problematic regions. The issue of the consequences of forest fires in the Chornobyl zone is revealed. Emphasis is placed on the issue of environmental and economic principles of assessing the efficiency of forest management in radioactively contaminated areas, which, in contrast to the existing ones, are based on taking into account the peculiarities of forest management in such areas. The dynamics of forest reproduction in the context of the last decade is presented. A model of forestry development in areas contaminated with radionuclides is proposed.

Osipovs’s fire nozzles as a means of combating environmental pollution

The classification of the main types of fires is provided, their effect on environmental pollution and adversely affecting people’s health is noted. The harmful effect of the consequences of forest fires on the ecology is shown, the main toxic substances released into the atmosphere are given. The harm caused by industrial fires of flammable and combustible liquids is analyzed. The specifics of extinguishing these fires and the need for Osipovs’s fire nozzles are substantiated. Design features of Osipovs’s fire nozzles are considered. The basics of calculating their tactical and technical characteristics are given. The effectiveness of their practical application in extinguishing forest and industrial fires of oil products is shown. Analytical studies of literary material were conducted. Calculation according empirical formulas and schemes is provided. Polygon and full-scale tests of Osipovs’s manual and fire monitors are presented. As a result of theoretical and experimental studies, the design was optimized and the tactics of using these fire nozzles in a fire were developed. The practical application of Osipovs’s manual and fire monitors allows get better the working conditions of nozzlemans, increasing fire fighting efficiency, reducing environmental pollution and improving its ecology.

The Economic Effects of Forest Fires Based on a Computational General Equilibrium Model

The Economic Effects of Forest Fires Based on a Computational General Equilibrium Model

Climate change beliefs shape the interpretation of forest fire events

Using a naturalistic quasi-experimental design and growth curve modeling techniques, a recently proposed climate change risk perception model was replicated and extended to investigate changes in climate change risk perception and climate policy support in relation to exposure to forest fires. At the start of the study, above-average indirect exposure to forest fires (e.g., through media and conversations) was associated with stronger climate change risk perception, but direct exposure to forest fires (e.g., seeing smoke) and other types of extreme weather events was not. Over time, changes in climate change risk perception were positively associated with changes in climate policy support. However, individual differences in growth trajectories occurred. For example, in this naturalistic setting without any intervention, the climate change risk perceptions of individuals with weaker perceptions of scientific agreement on climate change were less likely to be positively influenced by fire exposure than those of individuals with stronger perceptions of scientific agreement. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring climate change communication.

Assessment of the Effects of Forest Fires on Flood and Debris Flow in Gangwon-province

Assessment of the Effects of Forest Fires on Flood and Debris Flow in Gangwon-province

Long-term effects of forest fires on soil greenhouse gas emissions and extracellular enzyme activities in a hemiboreal forest

Fire is the most important natural disturbance in boreal forests, and it has a major role regulating the carbon (C) budget of these systems. With the expected increase in fire frequency, the greenhouse gas (GHG) budget of boreal forest soils may change. In order to understand the long-term nature of the soil–atmosphere GHG exchange after fire, we established a fire chronosequence representing successional stages at 8, 19, 34, 65, 76 and 179 years following stand-replacing fires in hemiboreal Scots pine forests in Estonia. Changes in extracellular activity, litter decomposition, vegetation biomass, and soil physicochemical properties were assessed in relation to carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Soil temperature was highest 8 years after fire, whereas soil moisture varied through the fire chronosequences without a consistent pattern. Litter decomposition and CO2 efflux were still lower 8 years after fire compared with pre-fire levels (179 years after fire). Both returned to pre-fire levels before vegetation re-established, and CO2 efflux was only strongly responsive to temperature from 19 years after fire onward. Recovery of CO2 efflux in the long term was associated with a moderate effect of fire on enzyme activity, the input of above- and below-ground litter carbon, and the re-establishment of vegetation. Soil acted as a CH4 sink and N2O source similarly in all successional stages. Compared with soil moisture and time after fire, soil temperature was the most important predictor for both GHGs. The re-establishment of overstorey and vegetation cover (mosses and lichens) might have caused an increase in CH4 and N2O effluxes in the studied areas, respectively.

Urban air pollution, climate change and wildfires: The case study of an extended forest fire episode in northern Italy favoured by drought and warm weather conditions

The aim of the paper is to describe the spread forest fire event occurred in the Italian Alps in 2017 under extremely drought conditions. In the study the root causes of wildfires and their direct relapses to the air quality of the Western Po valley and the urban centre of Torino have been assessed by means of air pollution measurements (focused to particulate matter with reference samplers and optical particle counters OPCs), meteorological indicators and additional public data. Results show a good correlation among different urban sites and instrument technologies. Concentration data, compared with environmental conditions and historical values describe the clear impact of fires on both local and regional air quality. Indeed, the deferred impact of wildfires on the local wood biomass energy supply chain is briefly outlined.

Distributive features of soil carbon and nutrients in permafrost regions affected by forest fires in northern Da Xing’anling (Hinggan) Mountains, NE China

In permafrost regions, forest fires actively affect physical and chemical properties of soils. Many studies have been conducted on the effects of forest fires on physical and chemical properties of topsoil, while the research on the fire-induced changes in carbon and other nutrients of soils has received much less attention, particularly that of soils in the active layer and near-surface permafrost. Here, using soil samples from two representative areas (Mangui and Alongshan), we investigated the effects of fires on soil nutrients of larch forest soils in the discontinuous permafrost zone in the northern Da Xing’anling (Hinggan) Mountains, Northeast China. The results showed that soil pH increased with fire severity due to the burning of soil organic matter by more severe fires and leaching of base elements in the residual ash into the soil, and; forest fires resulted in a weakly acidic post-fire soil environment. Soil total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus declined with increasing fire severity. A severe burn led to a substantial reduction of soil carbon and nitrogen, which were not recovered seven years after fire. However, there was no substantial change in the C/N ratio. For the two chosen areas, soil C/N ratios decreased with depth. In the first post-fire year, total potassium content increased and were similar at the sites affected by fires of different severity in the area burned seven years ago. There was no significant change in available phosphorus and available potassium. These changes were notable in the active layer and/or organic layers, but not so in the near-surface permafrost layer. Our results suggest that, in permafrost regions, forest fires have important effects on the distribution of soil carbon and other nutrients. This study on the feedback mechanisms between forest fires and nutrients in discontinuous permafrost regions in the northern Da Xing’anling Mountains is of importance for understanding the boreal carbon pool and cycling.