scholarly journals Climate-induced variations in global severe fire weather conditions

2018 ◽  
pp. 1193-1196
Author(s):  
W. Matt Jolly ◽  
Patrick Freeborn
Keyword(s):  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Severe Fire

Is Arson Associated with Severe Fire Weather in Southern California?

1991 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Mees
Keyword(s):  
Southern California ◽  
Wildland Fire ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Fire Danger ◽  
Weather Data ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
The Public ◽  
Severe Fire ◽  
Large Fires

Under severe fire weather conditions arson is believed to be the primary cause of large wildland fires in southern California. Wildland fire suppression personnel and the public use the the expression "This weather brings out the arsonists" to indicate their awareness of the high potential for large arson-caused fires under these conditions. To determine the accuracy of this statement, fire occurrence and weather data were analyzed for four southern California National Forests for a 10-year period (1975–1984). The results showed that the proportion of arson and non-arson person-caused fires remained the same under most fire-danger conditions; however, a much higher percentage of arson fires became large fires when fire danger was severe. Furthermore, the timing of the arsonist contributed to the frequent occurrence of large arson fires. The data presented here refute the idea that most arson fires occur under severe weather conditions and at the same time-validate the utility of maintaining arson prevention programs during most weather conditions.

Title: Disturbance Causes Variation in Sub-Canopy Fire Weather Conditions

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Wilson ◽  
Ross A. Bradstock ◽  
Michael Bedward
Keyword(s):  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Fire Weather

Exploring environmental factors driving wildfire occurrences in Alaskan tundra

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaying He ◽  
Tatiana Loboda ◽  
Nancy French ◽  
Dong Chen
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Empirical Modeling ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Fuel Type ◽  
Ignition Probability ◽  
Alaskan Tundra ◽  
Fire Ignition ◽  
Cg Lightning

<p>Tundra fires are common across the pan-Arctic region, particularly in Alaska. Fires lead to significant impacts on terrestrial carbon balance and ecosystem functioning in the tundra. They can even affect the forage availability of herbivorous wildlife and living resources of local human communities. Also, interactions between fire and climate change can enhance the fire impacts on the Arctic ecosystems. However, the drivers and mechanisms of wildland fire occurrences in Alaskan tundra are still poorly understood. Research on modeling contemporary fire probability in the tundra is also lacking. This study focuses on exploring the critical environmental factors controlling wildfire occurrences in Alaskan tundra and modeled the fire ignition probability, accounting for ignition source, fuel types, fire weather conditions, and topography. The fractional cover maps of fuel type components developed Chapter 2 serve as input data for fuel type distribution. The probability of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning and fire weather conditions are simulated using WRF. Topographic features are also calculated from the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data. Additionally, fire ignition locations are extracted from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) active fire product for Alaskan tundra from 2001 to 2019. Empirical modeling methods, including RF and logistic regression, are then utilized to model the relationships between environmental factors and wildfire occurrences in the tundra and to evaluate the roles of these factors. Our results suggested that CG lightning is the primary driver controlling fire ignitions in the tundra, while warmer and drier weather conditions also support fires. We also projected future potential of wildland fires in this tundra region with Coupled Model Intercomparison Projects Phase 6 (CMIP6) data. The results of this study highlight the important role of CG lightning in driving tundra fires and that incorporating CG lightning modeling is necessary and essential for fire monitoring and management efforts in the High Northern Latitudes (HNL).</p>

scholarly journals Classification of Active Fires and Weather Conditions in the Lower Amur River Basin

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3204
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Hayasaka ◽  
Galina V. Sokolova ◽  
Andrey Ostroukhov ◽  
Daisuke Naito
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Weather Condition ◽  
Weather Forecast ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Amur River Basin ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Strong Wind ◽  
Amur River ◽  
Active Fire

Most wildland fires in boreal forests occur during summer, but major fires in the lower Amur River Basin of the southern Khabarovsk Krai (SKK) mainly occur in spring. To reduce active fires in the SKK, we carried out daily analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) hotspot (HS) data and various weather charts. HS data of 17 years from 2003 were used to identify the average seasonal fire occurrence. Active fire-periods were extracted by considering the number of daily HSs and their continuity. Weather charts, temperature maps, and wind maps during the top 12 active fire-periods were examined to clarify each fire weather condition. Analysis results showed that there were four active fire-periods that occurred in April, May, July, and October. Weather charts during the top active fire-periods showed active fires in April and October occurred under strong wind conditions (these wind velocities were over 30 km h−1) related to low-pressure systems. The very active summer fire at the end of June 2012 occurred related to warm air mass advection promoted by large westerly meandering. We showed clear fire weather conditions in the SKK from March to October. If a proper fire weather forecast is developed based on our results, more efficient and timely firefighting can be carried out.

scholarly journals Verification of WRF modelled fire weather in the 2009–10 New Zealand fire season

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 34 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. C. Simpson ◽  
H. G. Pearce ◽  
A. P. Sturman ◽  
P. Zawar-Reza
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Model Error ◽  
Dew Point ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Fire Weather Index ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Weather Stations

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model was used to simulate the fire weather conditions for the 2009–10 wildland fire season in New Zealand. The suitability of WRF to simulate the high-end fire weather conditions for this period was assessed through direct comparison with observational data taken from 23 surface and two upper-air stations located across New Zealand. The weather variables and fire weather indices considered in the verification were the 1200 hours NZST air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, 24-h rainfall, New Zealand Fire Weather Index (FWI) and Continuous Haines Index (CHI). On observed high-end fire weather days, the model under-predicted the air temperatures and relative humidities, and over-predicted the wind speeds and 24-h rainfall at most weather stations. The results demonstrated that although WRF is suitable for modelling the air temperatures, there are issues with modelling the wind speeds and rainfall quantities. The model error in the wind speeds and 24-h rainfall contributed significantly towards the model under-prediction of the FWI on observed high-end fire weather days. In addition, the model was not suitable for predicting the number of high-end fire weather days at most weather stations, which represents a serious operational limitation of the WRF model for fire management applications. Finally, the modelled CHI values were only in moderate agreement with the observed values, principally due to the model error in the dew point depression at 850hPa.

Simulating landscape-scale effects of fuels treatments in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra D. Syphard ◽  
Robert M. Scheller ◽  
Brendan C. Ward ◽  
Wayne D. Spencer ◽  
James R. Strittholt
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Scale Effects ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Landscape Scale ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Fuels Management ◽  
Fuels Treatments

In many coniferous forests of the western United States, wildland fuel accumulation and projected climate conditions increase the likelihood that fires will become larger and more intense. Fuels treatments and prescribed fire are widely recommended, but there is uncertainty regarding their ability to reduce the severity of subsequent fires at a landscape scale. Our objective was to investigate the interactions among landscape-scale fire regimes, fuels treatments and fire weather in the southern Sierra Nevada, California. We used a spatially dynamic model of wildfire, succession and fuels management to simulate long-term (50 years), broad-scale (across 2.2 × 106 ha) effects of fuels treatments. We simulated thin-from-below treatments followed by prescribed fire under current weather conditions and under more severe weather. Simulated fuels management minimised the mortality of large, old trees, maintained total landscape plant biomass and extended fire rotation, but effects varied based on elevation, type of treatment and fire regime. The simulated area treated had a greater effect than treatment intensity, and effects were strongest where more fires intersected treatments and when simulated weather conditions were more severe. In conclusion, fuels treatments in conifer forests potentially minimise the ecological effects of high-severity fire at a landscape scale provided that 8% of the landscape is treated every 5 years, especially if future fire weather conditions are more severe than those in recent years.

Fire weather index system components for large fires in the Canadian boreal forest

2004 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 391 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. D. Amiro ◽  
K. A. Logan ◽  
B. M. Wotton ◽  
M. D. Flannigan ◽  
J. B. Todd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Fuel Moisture ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Fire Weather Index ◽  
System Parameters ◽  
System Components ◽  
Large Fires ◽  
Canadian Boreal Forest

Canadian Fire Weather Index (FWI) System components and head fire intensities were calculated for fires greater than 2 km2 in size for the boreal and taiga ecozones of Canada from 1959 to 1999. The highest noon-hour values were analysed that occurred during the first 21 days of each of 9333 fires. Depending on ecozone, the means of the FWI System parameters ranged from: fine fuel moisture code (FFMC), 90 to 92 (82 to 96 for individual fires); duff moisture code (DMC), 38 to 78 (10 to 140 for individual fires); drought code (DC), 210 to 372 (50 to 600 for individual fires); and fire weather index, 20 to 33 (5 to 60 for individual fires). Fine fuel moisture code decreased, DMC had a mid-season peak, and DC increased through the fire season. Mean head fire intensities ranged from 10 to 28 MW m−1 in the boreal spruce fuel type, showing that most large fires exhibit crown fire behaviour. Intensities of individual fires can exceed 60 MW m−1. Most FWI System parameters did not show trends over the 41-year period because of large inter-annual variability. A changing climate is expected to create future weather conditions more conducive to fire throughout much of Canada but clear changes have not yet occurred.

Relations between tree-ring widths, climate, and annual area burned in the boreal forest of Alberta

1995 ◽  
Vol 25 (11) ◽  
pp. 1746-1755 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.P.S. Larsen ◽  
G.M. MacDonald
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
National Park ◽  
Ring Width ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Severity Rating ◽  
Area Burned ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Wood Buffalo National Park

Ring-width chronologies from three white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss) and two jack pine (Pinusbanksiana Lamb.) sites in the boreal forest of northern Alberta were constructed to determine whether they could provide proxy records of monthly weather, summer fire weather, and the annual area burned by wildfires in Wood Buffalo National Park. All but one of the standard and residual chronologies exhibited significant positive correlations with June precipitation in the growth year, and all but three of the chronologies exhibited positive correlations with precipitation in June, July, or August of the previous year. Three of the residual chronologies also exhibited negative correlations with June temperature in the growth year. Four of the standard and residual chronologies exhibited significant correlations with the Seasonal Severity Rating fire weather variable from Fort Smith, N.W.T. Four of the standard chronologies and three of the residual chronologies exhibited significant correlations with the annual area burned in Wood Buffalo National Park. Significant correlations were also found for some of the standard and residual chronologies with fire weather and annual area burned in the previous year. These results suggest that ring widths and annual area burned in this portion of the boreal forest are sensitive to similar weather conditions. Tree-ring records may therefore provide a useful means of examining decadal to centennial length relations between climate and annual area burned in the boreal forest.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document