Hours of Sunshine and Fire Season Severity over the Vancouver Forest District

1970 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Turner
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Coastal Area ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Fire Statistics ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Area Burned ◽  
Simple Index ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Forest District

The accumulated hours of bright sunshine provide a simple index of fire season severity for the southern coastal area of British Columbia. This index, based on the period May 1 to August 31, is highly correlated with the annual acreage burned over the Vancouver Forest District.By removing that part of the year-by-year deviation in area burned which can be attributed to variations in this weather index, it is possible to see more clearly the effects of other controls on the annual fire load.The existence of appreciable fluctuations of summer sunshine over periods of the order of decades would suggest that 10-year averages of fire statistics are not long enough to be independent of the effects of weather.

scholarly journals DEFINICIÓN DE LA ÉPOCA DE INCENDIOS FORESTALES EN UN CONTEXTO MULTIVARIADO

FLORESTA ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcos Pedro Ramos Rodríguez ◽  
Yudisnelvis González Menzonet
Keyword(s):  
Fire History ◽  
Fire Management ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Fire Statistics ◽  
Area Burned ◽  
Forest Fire Management ◽  
Santiago De Cuba ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Del Rio

En este trabajo se presenta un acercamiento a la definición de la época de incendios forestales en un contexto multivariado como contribución a la planificación del manejo de los mismos. El método se basa en seleccionar las variables que expresen el comportamiento histórico de los incendios cada mes durante un periodo de años determinado. Entre estas variables se encuentran la densidad de incendios y la densidad de afectaciones, la media y la mediana del área quemada por incendio, el número de grandes incendios y la máxima área quemada por un incendio. Usando sistemas estadísticos pueden agruparse los meses con técnicas de análisis de cluster y la época de incendio puede ser definida. El método se aplicó en las provincias Santiago de Cuba y Pinar del Río, ubicadas en las regiones oriental y occidental de Cuba respectivamente. Se utilizaron estadísticas de incendios del periodo 1997 - 2002. DEFINITION OF THE FIRE SEASON IN A MULTIVARIATE CONTEXT Abstract In this work an approach to the definition of the fire season in a multivariate context is presented. It is a contribution to the forest fire management. The method is based on selecting the variables that express the fire history every month during a certain period of years. Among these variables there are the density of fires and the density of affectations, the mean and median of the area burned by fire, the number of big fires and the maximum area burned by a fire. To group the months is used the cluster analysis technical and it allows to define the fire season. The method was applied in the provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Pinar del Río, located in the regions oriental and western of Cuba respectively. Fire statistics from the period 1997/2002 were used.

scholarly journals PERFIL DOS INCÊNDIOS FLORESTAIS NO BRASIL DE 1994 A 1997

FLORESTA ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronaldo Viana Soares ◽  
Juliana Ferreira Santos
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fire ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Secondary Growth ◽  
Minas Gerais ◽  
Size Class ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Fire Statistics ◽  
Fire Control

O conhecimento do perfil dos incêndios florestais é muito importante para o planejamento do controle dos mesmos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estabelecer o perfil dos incêndios florestais no país através de dados coletados, em áreas protegidas, no período de 1994 a 1997, através de formulários preenchidos por empresas e instituições florestais. Foram registrados e informados 1.957 incêndios e apesar deste número não representar a totalidade dos incêndios ocorridos no período estudado, constituiu-se numa base confiável para se conhecer as principais características dos incêndios. Os resultados mostraram que a área média atingida por incêndio no período analisado foi de aproximadamente 135 ha, sendo Minas Gerais o estado líder, tanto em número de incêndios informados (62,7% do total) como em área queimada (25,2%). O grupo Incendiários foi a principal causa dos incêndios, com 56,6% das ocorrências, vindo a seguir as Queimas para limpeza com 22,1%. Com relação à área queimada o grupo Queimas para limpeza , com 74,1% da superfície atingida, foi a principal causa, ficando o grupo Incendiários em segundo lugar com 19,8%. A principal estação de incêndios no país se estende de julho a novembro, quando ocorreram 79,2% dos incêndios, correspondendo a 98,6% da área atingida. O maior número de incêndios (39,7% das ocorrências) foi registrado em Outro tipo de vegetação, que inclui cerrado, capoeira e campo. Com relação à área atingida, entretanto, 92,5% foi registrada em Florestas Nativas. Quanto à distribuição dos incêndios através das classes de tamanho, 23,9% foi enquadrado na classe I ( 0,1 ha). É importante ressaltar que quanto maior a eficiência no combate aos incêndios, maior é a concentração dos mesmos na classe I. Apesar de corresponder a apenas 2,4% das ocorrências, os incêndios da classe V ( 200,0 ha) foram responsáveis por 94,5% da área queimada. FOREST FIRE STATISTICS IN BRAZIL FROM 1994 TO 1997 Abstract Forest fire statistics knowledge is an important tool for fire control planning. The objective of this research was to collect information on forest fire occurrence in Brazilian protected areas in the period of 1994 to 1997. The analyzed variables were the number of fires and burned areas per state of the federation, monthly distribution, probable causes, affected vegetation, size class distribution, and average burned area per fire. Results showed that the average burned area per fire was approximately 135 ha and Minas Gerais ranked first, both in number of registered fires (62.7%) and burned surface (25.2%). Incendiary, with 56.6% of the occurrences was the leading cause, followed by debris burning with 22.1%. However, as for the affected area, Debris burning was the leading cause (74.1%), followed by Incendiary (19.8%). The fire season extends from July to November, when 79.2% of the fires occurred, corresponding to 98.6% of the burned surface. Miscellaneous, that includes savanna, secondary growth forest, and grassland were the most affected vegetation type (39.7% of the occurrences). In relation to the burned surface, Native Forest (92.5%) ranked first. The distribution of the registered fires through the size classes presented 23.9% of the occurrences in Class I ( 0.1 ha), whereas 94.5% of the burned area were result of Class V ( 200 ha) fires. Size Class II (0.1 to 4.0 ha), with 49.1% of the occurrences, ranked first in number of registered fires during the analyzed period.

scholarly journals Attribution of the Australian bushfire risk to anthropogenic climate change

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geert Jan van Oldenborgh ◽  
Folmer Krikken ◽  
Sophie Lewis ◽  
Nicholas J. Leach ◽  
Flavio Lehner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Southern Annular Mode ◽  
Warming Trend ◽  
Anthropogenic Climate Change ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Fire Weather Index

Abstract. Disastrous bushfires during the last months of 2019 and January 2020 affected Australia, raising the question to what extent the risk of these fires was exacerbated by anthropogenic climate change. To answer the question for southeastern Australia, where fires were particularly severe, affecting people and ecosystems, we use a physically-based index of fire weather, the Fire Weather Index, long-term observations of heat and drought, and eleven large ensembles of state-of-the-art climate models. In agreement with previous analyses we find that heat extremes have become more likely by at least a factor two due to the long-term warming trend. However, current climate models overestimate variability and tend to underestimate the long-term trend in these extremes, so the true change in the likelihood of extreme heat could be larger. We do not find an attributable trend in either extreme annual drought or the driest month of the fire season September–February. The observations, however, show a weak drying trend in the annual mean. Finally, we find large trends in the Fire Weather Index in the ERA5 reanalysis, and a smaller but significant increase by at least 30 % in the models. The trend is mainly driven by the increase of temperature extremes and hence also likely underestimated. For the 2019/20 season more than half of the July–December drought was driven by record excursions of the Indian Ocean dipole and Southern Annular Mode. These factors are included in the analysis. The study reveals the complexity of the 2019/20 bushfire event, with some, but not all drivers showing an imprint of anthropogenic climate change.

A COMPARISON OF LIME REQUIREMENT METHODS FOR ACID CANADIAN SOILS

1977 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 361-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. WEBBER ◽  
DIANE CORNEAU ◽  
P. B. HOYT ◽  
M. NYBORG
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Acid Soils ◽  
Toxic Level ◽  
Laboratory Methods ◽  
Exchangeable Al ◽  
Canadian Soils ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Diagnostic Index

Several laboratory methods for estimating lime requirements of acid soils were compared using 24 soils from Alberta and northeastern British Columbia and 15 from elsewhere in Canada. The Peech, Schofield, Woodruff and SMP (Shoemaker et al. 1971) buffer methods were equally well correlated with lime requirements for raising soil pH to 5.5 or 6, which in turn were highly correlated with the amounts of soluble and exchangeable Al and organic matter in the soils. The SMP buffer method is recommended for use as the diagnostic index of lime requirement to achieve pH 5.5 or 6 because of its speed and simplicity. A refinement is suggested for Alberta and northeastern B.C. soils on the basis that lime need not be added to achieve pH 5.5 but should be added to reduce Al below the toxic level for sensitive crops. The lime requirements to reduce Al in those soils were highly correlated with the amounts of 0.02 M CaCl2-soluble Al they contained and it is recommended that the 0.02 M CaCl2-soluble AI be used as the diagnostic index of lime requirement. Lime requirements related to SMP (pH) and 0.02 M CaCl2-soluble Al are presented.

MAGNETIC AND TECTONIC REGIONALIZATION ON TEXADA ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Geophysics ◽  
1964 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 565-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. H. Hall
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Fault Zone ◽  
Coastal Area ◽  
Magnetic Anomalies ◽  
Tectonic Pattern

A significant correlation exists between direction patterns in magnetic and tectonic trends on the northern two thirds of Texada Island, British Columbia, Canada. The patterns were analyzed in further detail by dividing the area into regions based on amplitudes of magnetic anomalies and on patterns in the magnetic trends. A technique involving smoothing and crosscorrelation was applied in the examination of the relationships between the patterns. The regions established on a magnetic basis also are distinct on the basis of tectonic pattern. However, correlation between the magnetic and tectonic patterns varies from region to region within the area. The directions N 50° W, N-S, and E-W, common throughout the coastal area of British Columbia, are the most widespread in the patterns studied on Texada Island. A distinctive zone, identified as a fault zone cutting across the island with a trend of N 20°W stands out in the patterns.

Fire activity in Portugal and its relationship to weather and the Canadian Fire Weather Index System

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 328 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Carvalho ◽  
M. D. Flannigan ◽  
K. Logan ◽  
A. I. Miranda ◽  
C. Borrego
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Fire Weather Index ◽  
Area Burned ◽  
System Components ◽  
Baseline Information ◽  
Forward Stepwise ◽  
Maximum Temperatures

The relationships among the weather, the Canadian Fire Weather Index (FWI) System components, the monthly area burned, and the number of fire occurrences from 1980 to 2004 were investigated in 11 Portuguese districts that represent respectively 66% and 61% of the total area burned and number of fires in Portugal. A statistical approach was used to estimate the monthly area burned and the monthly number of fires per district, using meteorological variables and FWI System components as predictors. The approach succeeded in explaining from 60.9 to 80.4% of the variance for area burned and between 47.9 and 77.0% of the variance for the number of fires; all regressions were highly significant (P < 0.0001). The monthly mean and the monthly maximum of daily maximum temperatures and the monthly mean and extremes (maximum and 90th percentile) of the daily FWI were selected for all districts, except for Bragança and Porto, in the forward stepwise regression for area burned. For all districts combined, the variance explained was 80.9 and 63.0% for area burned and number of fires, respectively. Our results point to highly significant relationships among forest fires in Portugal and the weather and the Canadian FWI System. The present analysis provides baseline information for predicting the area burned and number of fires under future climate scenarios and the subsequent impacts on air quality.

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.

Long lead statistical forecasts of area burned in western U.S. wildfires by ecosystem province

2002 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony L. Westerling ◽  
Alexander Gershunov ◽  
Daniel R. Cayan ◽  
Tim P. Barnett
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Forecast Model ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Drought Severity ◽  
Canonical Correlations ◽  
Area Burned ◽  
Wildfire Season ◽  
Random Guess

A statistical forecast methodology exploits large-scale patterns in monthly U.S. Climatological Division Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) values over a wide region and several seasons to predict area burned in western U.S. wildfires by ecosystem province a season in advance. The forecast model, which is based on canonical correlations, indicates that a few characteristic patterns determine predicted wildfire season area burned. Strong negative associations between anomalous soil moisture (inferred from PDSI) immediately prior to the fire season and area burned dominate in most higher elevation forested provinces, while strong positive associations between anomalous soil moisture a year prior to the fire season and area burned dominate in desert and shrub and grassland provinces. In much of the western U.S., above- and below-normal fire season forecasts were successful 57% of the time or better, as compared with a 33% skill for a random guess, and with a low probability of being surprised by a fire season at the opposite extreme of that forecast.

Wildfires and the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index system for the Daxing'anling region of China

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaorui Tian ◽  
Douglas J. McRae ◽  
Jizhong Jin ◽  
Lifu Shu ◽  
Fengjun Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fire ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Fire Danger ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Fire Weather ◽  
Burnt Area ◽  
Weather Index ◽  
Fire Weather Index

The Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index (FWI) system was evaluated for the Daxing'anling region of northern China for the 1987–2006 fire seasons. The FWI system reflected the regional fire danger and could be effectively used there in wildfire management. The various FWI system components were classified into classes (i.e. low to extreme) for fire conditions found in the region. A total of 81.1% of the fires occurred in the high, very high and extreme fire danger classes, in which 73.9% of the fires occurred in the spring (0.1, 9.5, 33.3 and 33.1% in March, April, May and June). Large wildfires greater than 200 ha in area (16.7% of the total) burnt 99.2% of the total burnt area. Lightning was the main ignition source for 57.1% of the total fires. Result show that forest fires mainly occurred in deciduous coniferous forest (61.3%), grass (23.9%) and deciduous broad leaved forest (8.0%). A bimodal fire season was detected, with peaks in May and October. The components of FWI system were good indicators of fire danger in the Daxing'anling region of China and could be used to build a working fire danger rating system for the region.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document