Description
Wildfires are a serious hazard across the planet, causing major economic and ecological impacts. Extreme wildfire seasons, with intense and large-scale fires, such as those recorded in 2019 in Australia, in 2022 in Europe or in 2023 in Chile and Canada, are a recent warning of the growing threat posed by global warming and global change. These extraordinary fire seasons are related to extreme weather conditions, such as severe droughts and heat waves, coupled with increased fuel availability and continuity. Specifically in Chile, forest fires burned more than 430,000 hectares in 2023 and caused the loss of 24 lives, leading the government to declare a state of emergency in multiple regions of the country. This proposal is oriented towards the use of cross-cutting methods to assess wildfire risk. This includes the use of empirical (based on historical data) and/or stochastic (simulation algorithms) models to assess the exposure of natural values and human communities to wildfire. We seek to provide quantitative insights through specific metrics of exposure, risk transmission and related information (Alcasena et al., 2021; Rodrigues et al., 2022). All of this supports the implementation of proactive strategies (fuel management and/or rearrangement, urban development or building codes) for risk mitigation and adaptation to extreme wildfire conditions.
Description
Forest fires induce changes in vegetation and soil properties that finally trigger changes in soil infiltration, soil water retention, sediment transport, and runoff generation. The impact of fire on soil and watershed hydrology is highly affected by the measurement scale. Measurements and experiments carried out at different scales show that fire induces a sudden increase in runoff (less interception, lack of soil litter, water repellency..) and an increase in sediment transport, soil crust development, and finally a more degraded soil. There is a need to understand better the impact of fire on the connectivity of flows and sediments, the role of water repellency, and the strategies to recover the ecosystems after the forest fire. The session welcomes pure and applied scientific research to discuss the best strategies to manage fire and avoid the impact on soil and watersheds as a consequence of the fire. Experimental and theoretical research with site demonstration and literature review are welcome.
Description
Uncertainty affects many aspects related to forest fires. It is a cross-cutting issue that affects forest fires in their entirety, from prevention, detection, spreading prediction, simulation, fighting, management and restoration. The wildfire phenomenon itself has an uncertain and complex behaviour because of its multiscale nature. Data on the state of vegetation and meteorology has a high level of uncertainty due to their spatial and temporal variation, which in turn affects both risk mapping and fire behaviour simulations, regardless of the type of model used. In particular, the simulation of forest fires is affected not only by the uncertainty of the input data already mentioned, but also by the uncertainty of the model itself due to its numerical solution but also due to a lack of knowledge as a consequence of scale interaction, as well as in the adjustment of the model parameters. Post-fire erosion risk models are also affected by uncertainty, due to the complex interactions between burned landscapes, rainfall events, and soil properties. This scientific session is intended to be an open forum to present scientific work related to uncertainty in all aspects related to forest fires.Description
The forest is a source of income and livelihood: wood, employment, grazing, gain for farmers in agricultural area (clearing). For forest managers, the Status of forest is decisive for the choice and direction of watershed development. A well-preserved forest allows for gains and benefits in terms of resources (soil, water) in terms of downstream development and investments. Similarly, grasslands and forests have the potential to sequester carbon in soils and there is a great need for cultural practices capable of restoring and increasing soil carbon storage and productivity in case of forest fire. Monitoring land degradation by fire and its impact on natural resources requires strengthening consultation and coordination between different stakeholders. Strengthening observation networks through the harmonization of data collection and methods and the development of sets of ecological and socio-economic impact indicators Strengthening methods of characterization, diagnosis and monitoring of forest degradation is necessary for decision support plan for better forest / forest fire governance.
Session topics
Diagnostic tools and methods for monitoring land degradation by fire
The Impact of forest fire on ecosystems and carbon dynamics.
Decision support plan for better forest / forest fire governance
Preventive measures against the risk of forest fire
Description
Forest fires are part of nature, and our society must learn how to live and adapt to the presence of fire in Planet Earth and human societies. The use of fire as a tool, environmental planning using the use of fire, and fire management are key topics for the planning of the human use of the land in the next decades. This session welcomes pure and applied scientific research to discuss the best strategies to manage fire and avoid the impact on soil and watersheds because of fire. Experimental and theoretical research with site demonstration and literature review are welcome. Field and laboratory studies, modelling, and urban and rural planning studies from different regions are of interest to the audience. Studies to show fire as a Nature-Based Solution are milestones for the research shown at the fEs2024 conference.
Description
Exploring how wildfires are influenced by both current climate patterns and anticipated shifts in climate is crucial for improving fire management practices and shaping effective prevention strategies. While significant progress has been made in comprehending the impact of climate on wildfire behavior, it remains a challenging area of study due to the intricate interplay of factors like climate, vegetation (which serves as fuel), and fire itself, including the feedback loops they create. The goal of this session is to assemble experts who are examining this topic from various perspectives. The focus is on analyzing the factors that contribute to wildfires, utilizing a range of fire-related climate indicators, and assessing the potential changes in these dynamics due to climate change across diverse geographical and temporal contexts. We encourage contributions that enhance our understanding of the connection between climate and wildfires, especially studies that utilize or develop new methods in remote sensing, on-the-ground observations, and experiments.