Forest Fire Policy Research Articles

Collaborative Practice during Forest Fires Disaster: A Narrative Policy Framework

This study aims to explain collaborative practices during forest fire prevention and mitigation in Indonesia using a narrative policy framework (NPF). The primary data was collected from 30 informants related to forest fire mitigation in South Sumatra Province (SSP) using in-depth interviews. The secondary data was from online media that publishes news on forest fires. This study adopts a deductive approach and an interactive model during organizing, processing, and analyzing using ATLAS.ti 8 for Windows. Based on the NPF approach, this study has found that there are different views among the policy actors about the character (the villain, the hero, and the victims), the plot, and the solution policy (moral of the story) within the narrative of forest fires in SSP. This study recommends government institutions increase the quality of taskforce governance so that it can facilitate the learning process, enhance trust, minimize conflict tension, and promote participative decision-making between policy actors within the forest fire policy sub-system.

Bibliometric Analysis: Forest Fire Controlling Policy in Indonesia

This study aims to identify and analyze the intensity of research developments with the topic of forest fire controlling policy in Indonesia in the last five years from 2017 to 2021 through bibliometric analysis. The research method uses a literature review with data collection through the publish or perish software from the google scholar database with the keywords “forest fire Indonesia,” “forest fire management, Indonesia,” forest fire control, Indonesia,” and “forest fire policy, Indonesia.” Data analysis using the VOSviewer application. The results showed 154 journal articles discussing forest fire controlling policy in Indonesia between 2017 and 2021 accessed on December 18, 2021. The term "implementation" became the most central and widely discussed term in previous studies. As a comparison, in 2021, the terms "coordination policy" and "annual forest fire” will be the last issues to be discussed. The limitation of this study is research using the Google Scholar database. It is open to all articles, including journals, reports, papers assignments, and articles that have been uploaded to the Google database. In addition, incomplete metadata such as year and source of publication become undetectable when filtered. Following research, more analysis will be conducted using other indexing databases like Scopus or Web of Science.

Pressure Group on Forest and Land Fire Policy in Riau Province 2019

Forest and land fires in Riau Province for the period of 2019 caused enormous losses, many aspects were disturbed by the fires, namely economic, health and bilateral relations which were most affected. Meanwhile, the government seems slow in dealing with forest and land fires and resolving their impacts. The slow pace of government action has prompted groups outside the government to participate in efforts to accelerate the handling of forest and land fires in Riau. From this background, this study looks at the role of groups outside the government (pressure groups) in encouraging the acceleration of forest and land fire prevention in Riau in 2019. This study uses a qualitative approach with descriptive data analysis. Sources of data were obtained from interviews, review of legal products, articles, related documents and news sources from the mass media. This research shows that the existence of the student action movement, environmental activists and other civil society organizations, is able to accelerate the government to take preventive and curative actions to tackle forest and land fires in Riau Province. The presence of this pressure group is also a bridge of interests between the people and the state so that corrections to inappropriate state policies can be immediately carried out to prevent forest and land fires.

Fire from policy, human interventions, or biophysical factors? Temporal–spatial patterns of forest fire in southwestern China

Forest fire is a recurrent and serious problem which stirs major environmental, economic, and social concerns. Information on the temporal–spatial distribution of ignition probability and identifying the factors that drive the pattern of forest fire occurrences are the most challenging issues over the world. In this study, the spatial distribution and temporal variation in forest fire occurrence were examined by applying the Maximum Entropy (Maxent) algorithm. Redundancy analyses were used to determine the contributions of driving factors (forest fire policy, human interventions, and biophysical variables) to the forest fire occurrences. In addition, the strength of the relationship between the forest fire policy, human interventions, and biophysical variables and their direct and indirect effects on forest fire occurrences were determined using structural equation models (SEMs). Our results showed the Maxent model was suitable for predictive modeling of the distribution of forest fire occurrences in southwestern China. The predicted area of forest fire occurrences in southwestern China during 2000–2017 was 3.25 × 105 km2 which mostly concentrated in the southern region. There was an increasing trend of forest fire crossing national and provincial borders. According to the temporal pattern of forest fire occurrences, additional ignition probability areas including the central Yunnan and the eastern Sichuan were found in spring when compared to those in winter. Moreover, forest fire policy is the main driver underlying the ignition, followed by biophysical factors and human interventions. These should be considered as key elements in the design of forest fire prevention programmes. Although the explanatory power of driving factors varied, national border distance (NBD) and conductive index (CI) that represented effects of forest fire policy were constantly the key driving variables. In addition, there is heterogeneity among the biophysical factors. The meteorological factors significantly affected on ignition probability in different temporal scale, while the effects of topographic factors were smaller. Human interventions had no significant direct effect on ignition probability, while they via fire policy had a significant positive indirect effect on the probability of fire occurrence. The results suggest that we should strengthen the administrative capacities to prevent forest fires, and improve the fire prevention publicity and education on the residents living near the national border and/or in low population density areas to get higher awareness and compliance of forest fire policies for local residents.

Forest fire management in the United States

With the intensification of climate change and human activities, megafires frequently occur, with serious impacts on ecosystems, atmospheric environment, and human health. The United States has accumulated a large amount of practical experience in forest fire management. A comprehensive review of the framework of forest fire management in the United States can provide an inspiring reference for forest fire prevention in China. Starting from the process of historical evolution of forest fire policy, we systematically introduced the four stages of policy evolution and the characteristics of each stage in the US. Moreover, a comprehensive analysis of forest fire management situation in the US from four aspects was conducted, including the management of combustible fuels, administrative responsibility, fire suppression and forest fire management research support. We summarized relevant literature and proposed improvement strategies for future combustibles management, policy politics and fire fighting in the United States. Through the comprehensive analysis of forest fire management in the United States, we put forward some inspiring opinions on forest fire management in China to promote the establishment of a sound forest fire management system with Chinese characteristics.

The effect of community and company participation and implementation of good forest fire governance on the forest fire policy in Indonesia

Purpose The purpose of this research is to analyze the effect of community and company participation on corporate governance and forest fire prevention in the forest zone, which has a high level of vulnerability to forest fires, in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach The survey method in this research used a quantitative approach with the survey method, with the sample being forest areas having a high level of vulnerability to forest fires in Indonesia. This study used a questionnaire instrument and was conducted from January to March 2017. The research population was 105 villages located in forest areas in six major provinces known to endure the largest forest fires in Indonesia. From a total population of 258 villages, 52 were selected for this study. The proportional random sampling area technique was used. The data analysis methods selected in this research were descriptive analysis and inferential statistical analysis using the partial least squares method. Findings Community and company participation has a significant effect on the implementation of good governance. The implementation of good governance has a significant effect and community and company participation has no direct effect on the forest fire policy, but through good governance mediation, an indirect effect of community participation on the forest fire policy is seen. Originality/value No previous research has comprehensively studied the role of community and company participation and implementation of good forest fire governance on the forest fire policy.

The role of central government and local government and the moderating effect of good governance on forest fire policy in Indonesia

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate forest fires and their relationship to prevention and mitigation strategies based on the empirical problems raised by this study. Public policy implementation (in this case, the policy of forest fire management) is influenced by the role played by government and by the participation of the public and stakeholders (in this case, companies), as well as the effects of good governance. Thus, from the empirical problems associated with theoretical problems and normative problems, this study raises the influence of the role of central and local government on the implementation of forest fire prevention policy in Indonesia, which is moderated by the good governance variable.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a quantitative approach by adopting survey methodology. The study has aimed to assess both large and small population groups, by selecting and reviewing carefully chosen samples of the population to find the incidence, distribution and relative interrelation of the variables considered (Kerlinger and Lee, 2000). The survey was undertaken in areas of Indonesia that have a high level of vulnerability to forest fires. There are currently six provinces – Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan and South Kalimantan – that have the highest intensity of forest fires. The study population was taken from 105 villages in those six major provinces experiencing forest fires. Sample size precision was determined by using Slovin’s formula with a precision of 10 percent and, thus, a sample size of 52 was obtained.FindingsThe central government’s activities have no significant effect on regional forest fire prevention. However, the results found that there is a significant effect caused by the interaction between the central and local governments and their governance of forest fire prevention. Even though the direct effect is not significant, the interaction effect significantly influences the forest fire prevention governance variable, which is a pure moderator. This study found that the role of central government has no effect on forest fire prevention. If the role of the central government is high, it will not impact the effectiveness of forest fire prevention, which is reflected in the aspects of prevention and early warning, reward and punishment, the improvement and management of ecosystems by reviewing courts, law enforcement and national and regional synergy.Originality/valueThis is one of the few public administration science studies to have investigated the relationship between good governance and forest fire policy in Indonesia, particularly the combined roles played by central and local governments.

Characteristics of Korean Forest Fires and Forest Fire Policies in the Joseon Dynasty Period (1392–1910) Derived From Historical Records

This study examined the records of forest fire outbreaks and characteristics over the 518 years of the Joseon Dynasty period (1392–1910) through the analysis of major historical records of Korea. The historical books used in this study were 14 major national historical books, and include the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty (朝鮮王朝實錄), the Diaries of the Royal Secretariat (承政院日記), and the literature was examined, centering on official records of the royal palace in the Joseon Dynasty period. The contents of forest fires recorded in the historical record literature include the overviews of outbreak, forest fire types, and forest fire damage. According to the results of analysis of historical records, the largest forest fire damage was in the forest fire that occurred on the east coast in 1672, in which 65 persons died and in the forest fire that occurred in the same area in 1804, in which 61 persons died and 2600 private houses were destroyed by fire. The causes of fire outbreak were shown to be unknown causes in 42 cases, accidental fires in 10 cases, arson in 3 cases, thunder strike in 3 cases, hunting activities in 2 cases, child playing with fire in 1 case, cultivating activities in 1 case, and house fire in 1 case. Forest fire outbreaks were analyzed by region and by season and according to the results, 56% (39 cases) of the forest fires broke out on the east coast and 73% (46 cases) broke out in the spring. Forest fire policies include those for general forests, those for reserved forests, those for prohibited forests, those for capital city forests, those for royal family’s graves, royal ancestral shrine, and placenta chamber, those for hunting grounds such as martial art teaching fields, and relief policies for people in areas damaged by forest fires, forest fire policies for national defense facilities such as beacon fire stations, and burning and burning control policies for pest control. In conclusion, due to the seriousness of forest fires in the Joseon Dynasty period, the royal authority and local administrative agencies made various forest fire prevention policies, policies for stabilization of the people’s livelihood damaged due to forest fires, and methods to manage major facilities in forests.

Smoke complaints caused by wildland fire in the southern Sierra Nevada region, California

Mega-fires are expected to increase in the Western United States. The state of the science suggests that the best mitigation to prevent destructive forest fires is to reintroduce ecologically beneficial fire, but this can only be accomplished with public support. The objective of this study is to identify the concerns of citizens in central California adjacent to the fire-prone Sierra Nevada Mountains who generate formal complaints about smoke exposure from forest fires. Twenty-seven smoke complaints from 2009 to 2013 were analysed from two air pollution control districts operating in this area. The complaints were submitted via email, letter, or phone to their respective air pollution control districts. Complaint transcripts were reviewed using standard qualitative data analysis procedures. The primary concerns recorded were that smoke from the fires caused health problems, required lifestyle change, and negatively impacted the local economy. Complaints often incorporated statements communicating dislike or mistrust of current forest fire policy and management and suggested no amount of smoke was acceptable. For these formal complaints, the solution was an immediate stop to the burning. The findings of this study can be used to develop appropriate communication and educational campaigns.

U.S.federal fire and forest policy: emphasizing resilience in dry forests

AbstractCurrentU.S.forest fire policy emphasizes short‐term outcomes versus long‐term goals. This perspective drives managers to focus on the protection of high‐valued resources, whether ecosystem‐based or developed infrastructure, at the expense of forest resilience. Given these current and future challenges posed by wildland fire and because theU.S.Forest Service spent >50% of its budget on fire suppression in 2015, a review and reexamination of existing policy is warranted. One of the most difficult challenges to revising forest fire policy is that agency organizations and decision making processes are not structured in ways to ensure that fire management is thoroughly considered in management decisions. Current resource‐specific policies are so focused on individual concerns that they may be missing the fact that there are “endangered landscapes” that are threatened by changing climate and fire. We propose that forest restoration should be at least equal to other land management priorities because large‐scale restoration is necessary for the sake of forest ecosystem integrity now and into the future. Another proposal is to switch the “default” rule in federal planning documents that currently have to “justify” managed wildland fire; instead,U.S.federal agencies should be required to disclose the long‐term ecological impacts of continued fire suppression. Proposed legislation that identifies the most expensive 2% of wildfires annually to be funded from emergency funding instead of by the federal land management agencies. If increases in forest restoration fail to accompany the change in how large wildfires are funded, thenU.S.fire suppression costs will remain high while resilience will continue to decline. Expansion of the wildland–urban interface will continue to drive suppression costs higher; new federal partnerships with States and local governments are needed to address this problem. Given the legacy of fire suppression and a future of climate change, management for other values in forests will be, in the long run, futile without also managing for long‐term forest resilience.

Compositional changes in selected forest ecosystems of the western United States

Investigation of forest changes over large areas may support and inform stand scale studies. I used the oldest and most recent available USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis surveys in nine states of the western United States to identify increasing and decreasing composition (i.e., percent of total trees) of species and groups over large spatial extents. Nineteen species decreased and nine species increased at least 5% in total composition over a minimum of 5000 km2 between the 1980–1994 surveys and the 2000–2013 surveys. Common pinyon, quaking aspen, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir, and five oak species decreased relative to other species across the greatest extents, while Rocky Mountain juniper and Utah juniper were the most abundant species that increased. Decreasing species generally either were fire-tolerant species or post-fire-disturbance species that initially benefitted from less frequent fire intervals but now are declining with extended fire exclusion, whereas increasing species predominantly were fire-sensitive species. Widespread compositional changes to fire-sensitive species indicates increased tree density in forests. In the western United States, historically extensive open, low density ponderosa pine ecosystems are shifting in state to closed, high density forests composed of a suite of fire-sensitive species, which has critical implications for forest management and fire policy. Increased tree densities of smaller understory trees that burn relatively easily will spread fire to large diameter trees in the overstory, resulting in high severity fires.

조선시대(1392~1910)의 산불정책에 관한 연구

본 연구는 우리나라의 주요 역사기록서 분석을 통해 조선시대 518년 동안 태조~순조까지 27대 임금이 교체되면서 왕조별로 산불정책 집행에 대한 기록을 고찰하였다. 연구에 활용된 역사서로서는 조선왕조실록, 승정원일기, 대전회통, 고려사절요, 비변사등록, 신보수교집록, 수교집록, 국역증보문헌비고, 경국대전, 황해도연해금송사목, 제도송금사목, 대전속록, 금조절목이문으로 산불정책이 기록된 문헌을 조사, 분석하였다. 역사기록서 문헌에 기록된 산불정책 내용으로는 일반산림에서의 산불정책, 금산과 봉산, 도성 숲에서의 산불정책, 왕실가의 분묘, 종묘, 태실에서 산불정책, 강무장등 사냥터와 사옹원 군기시 시장(柴場)에서의 산불정책, 산불피해지역 백성을 위한 어사 파견 구휼정책, 사고와 사찰에서의 산불정책, 봉수대 등 국토방위를 위한 산불정책, 병충해 구제를 위한 입화 및 입화단속정책이 포함되어 있다. 조선시대 역사기록서를 분석한 결과 조선시대 산불정책은 크게 산불예방목적과 민생안정목적 정책으로 구분할 수 있었다. 결론적으로 조선시대에도 산불의 심각성으로 인해 조정 및 지방에서 여러 산불예방정책과 산불 피해로 인한 민생안정정책이 시행되었다. 또한 산불예방정책 중 산림내 주요시설물을 관리하는 방법이 포함되어 있다. This study surveyed historical records on forest fire polcis during Joseon Dynasty's 518 years (1392~1910) in being and analyzed the Annals of Joseon Dynasty(朝鮮王朝實錄), The daily records of royal secretariat of Joseon dynasty(承政院日記), Daejonhoetong(大典會通), Koryosachulyo(高麗史節要), Bibyeonsadeungnok(備邊司謄錄), Shinbo Sugyo Jibrok(新補受敎輯錄), Sugyo Jibrok(受敎輯錄), Chungbo munheon bigo(增補文獻備考), Kyeonggukdaejeon(經國大典), Hwanghaedoyeonhaekumsongsamok(黃海 道沿海禁松節目), Jedosongkumsamok(諸道松禁事目), Taezonsokrok(大典續錄), Kumjojeolmokimun(禁條節目移文). Notes recorded in the history of literature wildfire policy is included such as general forest policy, Kumsan(禁山) and Bongsan(封山), citadel in the forest fire policy, Jongmyo(Royal tomb) Shrine of forest fire policy, hunting ground, salvage, defence, pest extermination. In conclusion, forest policy of Joseon Dynast was performed wildfire prevention policy and livelihood stabilization policy. In addition, forest fire prevention policies and how to manage in the major facilities are included.

우리나라 주요 산불방지기술 변화 분석

본 연구는 1945년부터 2010년 까지 우리나라 주요 산불정책 변화 분석과 향후 정책대안을 마련하기 위하여 광복이후 산림청 발족 이전(1945~1966), 산림청 발족 이후 산림기본계획 수립이전(1967~1972), 제1차 산림기본계획기(1973~1978), 제2차 산림기본계획기(1979~1987), 제3차 산림기본계획기(1988~1997), 제4차 산림기본계획기(1998~2007), 제5차 산림기본계획기(2008~현재) 등 7단계로 나누어 분석한 결과, 1996년 4월 강원 고성산불을 계기로 산불조직, 제도 및 기술의 발전을 가져왔으며, 향후에는 보다 체계적인 지역단위 산불대응체계의 정착과 훈련이 필요하다. In this study, we studied and analyzed the change of forest fire policies in order for helping to improve a established forest fire policies. We divided into 7 periods for easier analysis. The first period was 'the period of pre-establishing the Korea forest service after independence (1945-1966). And the second was 'the period of pre-basic plan of forest' after establishing the Korea forest service(1967-1972). The third was 'the period of the first basic plan of forest'(1973-1978). The forth was 'the period of the second basic plan of forest'(1979-1987). The fifth was 'the period of the third basic plan of forest'(1988-1997). The sixth was 'the period of the forth basic plan of forest'(1998-2007). And the seventh was 'the period of the fifth basic plan of forest'(2008-present). In the result, the fire fighting organization, system and techniques was made rapid progress after Goseong forest fire in Kangwon region in April 1996. For future large scale forest fire attacking, the establishment of more systematical regional forest fire action plan and exercise from this would be needed.

Who Framed the Forest Fire? State Framing and Peasant Counter-Framing of Anthropogenic Forest Fires in Spain Since 1940

Anthropogenic fires in forested areas are a globally relevant environmental issue characterized by a high degree of uncertainty in terms of their ecological impact. States the world over have, for the most part, attempted to grapple with them by developing costly forest fire suppression policies. This study examines the implementation and impact of one such policy, anti-forest fire media campaigns in Spain, through a framing effects theory approach. Historically, Spain has been Europe's most anthropogenic forest fire-prone country. A majority of Spain's forest fires are provoked intentionally by the peasantry, a homogeneous social group that seems to be immune to the Spanish state's framing of forest fires in its media campaigns as an ‘enemy’ that needs to be eradicated. This fact contrasts with framing effects theory's prediction that counter-framing by subordinate social groups is most likely to result from conversations carried out between members of heterogeneous rather than homogeneous social groups. In addition, this study contends that anthropogenic forest fire lighting by peasants in Spain constitute a ritual form of political resistance based on symbolic communication. This explanation further calls into question the framing theory's methodological reliance on verbal and written forms of communication to unveil counter framing activities.

A comparative analysis of forest fire policies in protected areas in Portugal and in the state of Santa Catarina (Brazil): a general approach

Recent data suggest that both Portugal and Brazil have seen an increase in the number of forest fires in protected areas. In Portugal, between 1992 and 2003 the annual average area burned in protected areas was 10,418 ha and in the period 2001-2005 was 16,025 ha. Nevertheless, in Brazil, the state of Santa Catarina stands out as the state recording a decrease in the number of fires. Based on these facts, the main objectives of the present research are to analyse the incidence, severity and causes of forest fires in protected areas in both countries and to assess the impacts of prevention and combat policies as well as the strategies and models implemented in the recovery of burned areas.