scholarly journals Prescribed burning experiences in Italy: an integrated approach to prevent forest fires

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Ascoli ◽  
A Catalanotti ◽  
E Valese ◽  
S Cabiddu ◽  
G Delogu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Integrated Approach

scholarly journals Quantitative Analysis of Forest Fires in Southeastern Australia Using SAR Data

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2386
Author(s):  
Aqil Tariq ◽  
Hong Shu ◽  
Qingting Li ◽  
Orhan Altan ◽  
Mobushir Riaz Khan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Risk ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Prescribed Burn ◽  
Backscatter Coefficient ◽  
Prescribed Burns ◽  
Southeastern Australia ◽  
Sar Data ◽  
Sar Imagery

Prescribed burning is a common strategy for minimizing forest fire risk. Fire is introduced under specific environmental conditions, with explicit duration, intensity, and rate of spread. Such conditions deviate from those encountered during the fire season. Prescribed burns mostly affect surface fuels and understory vegetation, an outcome markedly different when compared to wildfires. Data on prescribed burning are crucial for evaluating whether land management targets have been reached. This research developed a methodology to quantify the effects of prescribed burns using multi-temporal Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery in the forests of southeastern Australia. C-band SAR datasets were specifically used to statistically explore changes in radar backscatter coefficients with the intensity of prescribed burns. Two modeling approaches based on pre- and post-fire ratios were applied for evaluating prescribed burn impacts. The effects of prescribed burns were documented with an overall accuracy of 82.3% using cross-polarized backscatter (VH) SAR data under dry conditions. The VV polarization indicated some potential to detect burned areas under wet conditions. The findings in this study indicate that the C-band SAR backscatter coefficient has the potential to evaluate the effectiveness of prescribed burns due to its sensitivity to changes in vegetation structure.

scholarly journals Event-Based Integrated Assessment of Environmental Variables and Wildfire Severity through Sentinel-2 Data

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Picos ◽  
Laura Alonso ◽  
Guillermo Bastos ◽  
Julia Armesto
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Event Based ◽  
Sentinel 2

To optimize suppression, restoration, and prevention plans against wildfire, postfire assessment is a key input. Since little research has been carried out on applying Sentinel-2 imagery through an integrated approach to evaluate how environmental parameters affect fire severity, this work aims to fill this gap. A set of large forest fires that occurred in northwest Spain during extreme weather conditions were adopted as a case study. Sentinel-2 information was used to build the fire severity map and to evaluate the relation between it and a set of its driving factors: land cover, aspect, slope, proximity to the nearest stream, and fire recurrence. The cover types most affected by fire were scrubland, rocky areas, and Eucalyptus. The presence of streams was identified as a major cause of the reduced severity of fires in broadleaves. The occurrence of fires in the past is linked to the severity of fires, depending on the land cover. This research aims to help fire researchers, authority managers, and policy makers distinguish the conditions under which the damage by fire is minimized and optimize the resources allocated to restoration and future fire suppression.

scholarly journals Unveiling the Factors Responsible for Australia’s Black Summer Fires of 2019/2020

Fire ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Noam Levin ◽  
Marta Yebra ◽  
Stuart Phinn
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Burnt Area ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Average Area ◽  
Southeast Australia ◽  
Large Fires ◽  
Fire Area ◽  
Response Variables

The summer season of 2019–2020 has been named Australia’s Black Summer because of the large forest fires that burnt for months in southeast Australia, affecting millions of Australia’s citizens and hundreds of millions of animals and capturing global media attention. This extensive fire season has been attributed to the global climate crisis, a long drought season and extreme fire weather conditions. Our aim in this study was to examine the factors that have led some of the wildfires to burn over larger areas for a longer duration and to cause more damage to vegetation. To this end, we studied all large forest and non-forest fires (>100 km2) that burnt in Australia between September 2019 and mid-February 2020 (Australia’s Black Summer fires), focusing on the forest fires in southeast Australia. We used a segmentation algorithm to define individual polygons of large fires based on the burn date from NASA’s Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) active fires product and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) burnt area product (MCD64A1). For each of the wildfires, we calculated the following 10 response variables, which served as proxies for the fires’ extent in space and time, spread and intensity: fire area, fire duration (days), the average spread of fire (area/days), fire radiative power (FRP; as detected by NASA’s MODIS Collection 6 active fires product (MCD14ML)), two burn severity products, and changes in vegetation as a result of the fire (as calculated using the vegetation health index (VHI) derived from AVHRR and VIIRS as well as live fuel moisture content (LFMC), photosynthetic vegetation (PV) and combined photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic vegetation (PV+NPV) derived from MODIS). We also computed more than 30 climatic, vegetation and anthropogenic variables based on remotely sensed derived variables, climatic time series and land cover datasets, which served as the explanatory variables. Altogether, 391 large fires were identified for Australia’s Black Summer. These included 205 forest fires with an average area of 584 km2 and 186 non-forest fires with an average area of 445 km2; 63 of the forest fires took place in southeast (SE) Australia (the area between Fraser Island, Queensland, and Kangaroo Island, South Australia), with an average area of 1097 km2. Australia’s Black Summer forest fires burnt for more days compared with non-forest fires. Overall, the stepwise regression models were most successful at explaining the response variables for the forest fires in SE Australia (n = 63; median-adjusted R2 of 64.3%), followed by all forest fires (n = 205; median-adjusted R2 of 55.8%) and all non-forest fires (n = 186; median-adjusted R2 of 48.2%). The two response variables that were best explained by the explanatory variables used as proxies for fires’ extent, spread and intensity across all models for the Black Summer forest and non-forest fires were the change in PV due to fire (median-adjusted R2 of 69.1%) and the change in VHI due to fire (median-adjusted R2 of 66.3%). Amongst the variables we examined, vegetation and fuel-related variables (such as previous frequency of fires and the conditions of the vegetation before the fire) were found to be more prevalent in the multivariate models for explaining the response variables in comparison with climatic and anthropogenic variables. This result suggests that better management of wildland–urban interfaces and natural vegetation using cultural and prescribed burning as well as planning landscapes with less flammable and more fire-tolerant ground cover plants may reduce fire risk to communities living near forests, but this is challenging given the sheer size and diversity of ecosystems in Australia.

scholarly journals Forest resources of the Far East, their use and reproduction

2020 ◽  
Vol 203 ◽  
pp. 03003
Author(s):  
Andrey Komin ◽  
Pavel Komin ◽  
Vladimir Usov ◽  
Alexander Gridnev
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Far East ◽  
Federal District ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Forest Resources ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Time Required ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Far Eastern

The paper provides an assessment of the state of forest resources in the Far Eastern Federal District and identifies the main factors affecting the qualitative state of forests. The reasons contributing to the increase in the area of forest fires are analyzed. One of the reasons contributing to the degradation of forest areas is also indicated - the accepted allowable cut, which does not always correspond to reality due to the use of outdated forest husbandry materials and its untimely implementation. Considering the issues of forest reproduction, an integrated approach is proposed for carrying out reforestation activities, including both the creation of forest plantations and the implementation of measures aimed at observing the technology of logging operations and preserving undergrowth. This will reduce the cost of reforestation work, as well as reduce the time required for the transfer of forest crops to a forested area. One of the conclusions is a change in the fundamental approaches to forest management in this area, taking into account the observance of environmental, economic and social requirements for forest management.

scholarly journals Soil Quality of Abandoned Agricultural Terraces Managed with Prescribed Fires and Livestock in the Municipality of Capafonts, Catalonia, Spain (2000–2017)

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xavier Úbeda ◽  
Meritxell Alcañiz ◽  
Gonzalo Borges ◽  
Luis Outeiro ◽  
Marcos Francos
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Hazard ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Prescribed Fires ◽  
Agricultural Terraces ◽  
Prescribed Burns ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Village

The abandonment of the economic activities of agriculture, livestock, and forestry since the second half of the 20th century, in conjunction with the exodus of inhabitants from rural areas, has resulted in an increase in the forest mass as well as an expansion of forest areas. This, in turn, has led to a greater risk of forest fires and an increase in the intensity and severity of these fires. Moreover, these forest masses represent a fire hazard to adjacent urban areas, which is a problem illustrated here by the village of Capafonts, whose former agricultural terraces have been invaded by shrubs, and which in the event of fire runs the risk of aiding the propagation of the flames from the forest to the village’s homes. One of the tools available to reduce the amount of fuel in zones adjoining inhabited areas is prescribed burns. The local authorities have also promoted measures to convert these terraces into pasture; in this way, the grazing of livestock (in this particular instance, goats) aims to keep fuel levels low and thus reduce the risk of fire. The use of prescribed fires is controversial, as they are believed to be highly aggressive for the soil, and little is known about their long-term effects. The alternation of the two strategies is more acceptable—that is, the use of prescribed burning followed by the grazing of livestock. Yet, similarly little is known about the effects of this management sequence on the soil. As such, this study seeks to examine the impact of the management of the abandoned terraces of Capafonts by means of two prescribed fires (2000 and 2002), which were designed specifically to prevent forest fires from reaching the village. Following these two prescribed burns, a herd of goats began to graze these terraces in 2005. Here, we report the results of soil analyses conducted during this period of years up to and including 2017. A plot comprising 30 sampling points was established on one of the terraces and used to monitor its main soil quality properties. The data were subject to statistical tests to determine whether the recorded changes were significant. The results show modifications to the concentration of soil elements, and since the first prescribed burn, these changes have all been statistically significant. We compare our results with those reported in other studies that evaluate optimum soil concentrations for the adequate growth of grazing to feed goats, and conclude that the soil conditions on the terrace after 17 years are optimum for livestock use.

Disastrous Forest Fires: Management and Control

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.P. Vasudeva
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Forest Survey ◽  
Forest Fire Prevention ◽  
And Control ◽  
Rational Knowledge ◽  
Religious Considerations

Forest fires are the most common hazard in forests causing havoc with biodiversity. Forest fires may occur naturally; however, about 80 per cent of forest fires in the world are caused by human beings. Forest Survey of India estimates that about half of the country’s forests are affected by fire. The negative effects of forest fires override the beneficial effects requiring their strategic management. Management of forest fires through the disaster management continuum would lead to systematic tackling with better results. Involvement of communities with their viewpoint in devising strategy for forest fire prevention and control is required. Integrated approach incorporating ecological, economic, social, cultural and religious considerations, and rational knowledge of local people through consultative process to be considered by a fully accountable nodal department would go a long way in managing this disastrous menace.

Effects of Forest Fires on Archaeological Resources at Grand Canyon National Park

1987 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Trinkle Jones ◽  
Robert C. Euler
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Grand Canyon ◽  
Cultural Resources ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
The North ◽  
Before And After ◽  
History Of ◽  
Fire Area

For a number of years archaeologists have discussed the effects of forest fires on archaeological resources. Studies under experimental conditions and of sites after they were burned form the bulk of this effort but, for the most part, they have not been published. This article examines the fire history of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and the effects of the Dutton Point wildfire on prehistoric architecture and artifacts—particularly ceramics. Armed with those data, a modest experiment useful in any proposed prescribed fire area containing cultural resources, was designed. This involved “before and after” studies of a ruin that was to be subjected to prescribed burning and included buried temperature controls and the varying effects upon the resource. Finally, a hypothesis regarding the effect of wildfires on archaeological sites is presented.

scholarly journals Effects of prescribed forest burning on carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae): a case study in south-eastern Norway

2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantin Gongalsky ◽  
Fred Midtgaard ◽  
Hans Overgaard
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Carabid Beetles ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Burned Areas ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Se Norway ◽  
Eastern Norway

The influence of prescribed burning on ground beetles was studied in a single 12 ha stand that was partially clear-cut, selectively-cut and retained (= standing forest), and was compared to an unburned stand in 2002 in SE Norway. Thirty-two species were collected using Barber pitfall traps. Carabids were more numerous and more diverse in the burned area, compared to the unburned forest. Overall abundance was highest in the selectively-cut treatment, followed by the clear-cut and standing forest. Species diversity tended to increase in the sequence unburned forest – burned standing forest – burned selectively-cut – burned clearcut. Species composition differed little between the burned treatments. Pterostichus adstrictus, a species associated with open habitats and which frequently colonizes burned areas, was the most abundant species collected. It was most common in the burned area, particularly in the selectively-cut treatment. Our results suggest that burning of a single stand may support some carabid species, even endangered ones, although larger forest fires are probablymore effective for conservation purposes.

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