Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Cristobal Pais, Alejandro Miranda, Jaime Carrasco, Zuo-Jun Max Shen
Summary: This study focuses on wildfire activity globally and proposes a deep learning framework for estimating and predicting wildfire ignition risk. The research reveals the potential of landscape topology in wildfire prediction and provides important insights for landscape management planning.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Xin Wang, Hang Zhao, Zhengxiang Zhang, Yiwei Yin, Shuo Zhen
Summary: In this study, a multilevel model was used to explore the relationship between wildfire occurrence density and socioeconomic factors. The results showed that the variances among cities contributed to a significant portion of the unexplained variation at the county level. At the county level, the densities of middle school student populations, GDP, and impervious surface areas were positively correlated with fire occurrence density. At the city level, GDP and its interaction with county-level factors were negatively correlated with fire occurrence density.
Article
Ecology
Eddie J. B. van Etten, Robert A. Davis, Tim S. Doherty
Summary: The study explored the contemporary fire regimes in a semi-arid region of inland south-western Australia, finding significant differences in fire frequency among different vegetation types. Sandplain shrublands experienced more frequent and intense fires compared to eucalypt woodlands, which had relatively rare fire events. Fire occurrence in the region was linked to previous rainfall patterns and varied significantly depending on vegetation type.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Slobodan Milanovic, Jan Kaczmarowski, Mariusz Ciesielski, Zoran Trailovic, Milosz Mielcarek, Ryszard Szczygiel, Miroslaw Kwiatkowski, Radomir Balazy, Michal Zasada, Sladjan D. Milanovic
Summary: Forest fires have become a significant issue in Central Europe in recent years. In this study, historical fire data and various predictors were collected to model the probability of forest fire occurrence in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship of Poland. The H2O driverless artificial intelligence (DAI) cloud platform was used, and gradient boosted machine (GBM) and random forest (RF) methods were applied for assessment. The most important variables were determined to be the presence of coniferous forest and the distance to agricultural land according to the GBM and RF methods, respectively. The GBM model with an AUC of 83.3% was recommended for mapping forest fire occurrence in the study area.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hien X. Bui, Axel Timmermann, June-Yi Lee, Eric D. Maloney, Yi-Xian Li, Ji-Eun Kim, Jacquelyn Shuman, Sun-Seon Lee, William R. Wieder
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between atmospheric stationary waves and wildfire occurrences, and finds that a zonal wavenumber 5-6 stationary wave pattern tends to synchronize wildfires in the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes. The presence of upper-troposphere ridges and troughs creates alternating hot/dry and cold/wet conditions, affecting wildfire occurrence. More persistent high-pressure systems increase the likelihood of wildfires. While the dynamics of stationary waves do not change significantly with global warming, the variability of midlatitude wildfires is projected to intensify due to changes in climate conditions.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Erin K. Buchholtz, Jason Kreitler, Douglas J. Shinneman, Michele Crist, Julie Heinrichs
Summary: Fire connectivity, referring to the landscape's capacity to facilitate fire transmission, is crucial for minimizing negative impacts of wildfires. This study developed an approach to model fire connectivity patterns and analyze potential fire spread and relative flow. The findings showed spatial heterogeneity in fire transmission capability, with existing fuel break networks concentrated in areas with diffuse or impeded flow rather than channelized flow.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Viacheslav I. I. Kharuk, Maria L. L. Dvinskaya, Alexey S. S. Golyukov, Sergei T. T. Im, Anastasia V. V. Stalmak
Summary: The increase in lightning frequency due to global warming may affect the burning rate and vegetation productivity in the circumpolar Arctic region. Wildfire occurrence was analyzed in different Arctic sectors (Russian, North American, and Scandinavian) using satellite data. Lightning occurrence and moisture were found to be the primary factors influencing fire frequency in the Arctic. The boundary of fire occurrence is shifting northward, reaching the Arctic Ocean coast in Eastern Siberia.
Article
Ecology
Annalie Dorph, Matthew Swan, Julian Di Stefano, Trent D. Penman
Summary: Understanding the relationships between spatial pattern, spatial scale and biodiversity is crucial for assessing the impacts of environmental change on species richness. Our study found that both composition and configuration of environmental factors play important roles, with the strength and presence of relationships varying across different spatial scales. Patterns in NDVI, time since fire, habitat complexity, and elevation were identified as having the strongest effects on mammal species richness.
Article
Geography
Giorgia Bressan
Summary: Online GIS-based applications that collect citizens' voices on their surrounding environment may lack positional accuracy, especially when relying on non-expert users. A study in Italy found that participants showed greater accuracy in mapping degraded sites compared to beautiful sites.
TRANSACTIONS IN GIS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Roberto Cilli, Mario Elia, Marina D'Este, Vincenzo Giannico, Nicola Amoroso, Angela Lombardi, Ester Pantaleo, Alfonso Monaco, Giovanni Sanesi, Sabina Tangaro, Roberto Bellotti, Raffaele Lafortezza
Summary: This study presents the first attempt to use an explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) framework to estimate wildfire occurrence. The findings accurately identify high-risk areas and highlight the drivers of wildfires, providing support for prevention and response strategies.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Victor Martin-Velez, Casper H. A. van Leeuwen, Marta I. Sanchez, Francisco Hortas, Judy Shamoun-Baranes, Chris B. Thaxter, Luc Lens, Cornelis J. Camphuysen, Andy J. Green
Summary: Non-frugivorous waterbirds play a crucial role in dispersing weed plants over long distances, exchanging species between human-dominated and natural areas. The study demonstrates that about 92% of weed seeds are dispersed within the birds' activity area, while the remaining 8% reach other habitats, with 42% reaching moist environments suitable for weed establishment. This research emphasizes the significance of non-frugivorous birds in long-distance plant dispersal, an often overlooked mechanism in weed plant expansion studies.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Megan P. Singleton, Andrea E. Thode, Andrew J. Sanchez Meador, Jose M. Iniguez, Jens T. Stevens
Summary: The study examined the spatial patterns of high-severity fire patches in forests managed for ecological/resource benefit and fully suppressed fires, finding that suppression fires showed greater patch homogeneity. All spatial pattern metrics were significantly related to fire size and percent high-severity fire for both management strategies. Temporal trends in suppression fires have shifted towards smaller, more complex, fragmented patches since the early 2000s.
Article
Ecology
Davide Berardi, Marta Galuppi, Angelo Liberta, Mara Lombardi
Summary: This study investigates the ignition and propagation of wildfires in the Monte Catillo Natural Reserve in Italy through a retrospective analysis. By combining methods such as wildfire susceptibility mapping, propagation modeling, and probability assessment, a geostatistical model is developed to generate a wildfire hazard map. The research contributes significantly to understanding wildfire dynamics and developing effective strategies for wildfire risk management.
Article
Geography
Evan R. Larson, Kurt F. Kipfmueller, Lane B. Johnson
Summary: This study explores the patterns of Anishinaabeg land use and fire occurrence in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) of northern Minnesota, highlighting the intertwined relationship between human activities and the environment in shaping landscape patterns. The research findings indicate that the absence of fires in the area over the past century has led to a decline in red pine forests, presenting an opportunity for a reassessment of the management needs for these forests through the strategic return of frequent fires.
ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF GEOGRAPHERS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Luisa Maria Diele Viegas, Lilian Sales, Juliana Hipolito, Claudjane Amorim, Eder Johnson de Pereira, Paulo Ferreira, Cody Folta, Lucas Ferrante, Philip Fearnside, Ana Claudia Mendes Malhado, Carlos Frederico Duarte Rocha, Mariana M. Vale
Summary: This study examines the persistence and occurrence patterns of fires in Brazilian biomes. It finds that fires show persistent behavior in all biomes, which may be attributed to human activities. It also reveals that fire-dependent biomes are more susceptible to climate factors, while fire-sensitive biomes are less suitable for fire occurrence. Additionally, it predicts that fires may intensify in the future and harm the integrity of the biomes.
