International Journal of Wildland Fire Preview

#IntlJWildlandFire

IJWF is published online and in print twelve times per year on behalf of the International Association of Wildland Fire by CSIRO Publishing.

One of many IAWF member benefits include access to the online version of the Journal! IAWF members are also eligible for discounted Individual or Student print subscriptions.

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This months Open Access Papers are:

Forest fires in Mexico: an approach to estimate fire probabilities

by Luis Galván and Víctor Magaña

Abstract: The probabilities of forest fires in Mexico are estimated using information on precipitation and temperature, along with data on type of vegetation, human activities near forests and fire prevention policies. The proposed model addresses the factors that account for extreme wildfire hazard, and may provide a basis for fire prevention actions, reducing vulnerability factors.

Additional keywords: climate, drought, natural hazard, vulnerability.

Climate change projected to reduce prescribed burning opportunities in the south-eastern United States

by John A. Kupfer, Adam J. Terando, Peng Gao, Casey Teske and J. Kevin Hiers

Abstract: Prescribed burning is a critical tool for managing wildfire risks and meeting ecological objectives, but its safe and effective application requires that specific meteorological criteria (a ‘burn window’) are met. Here, we evaluate the potential impacts of projected climatic change on prescribed burning in the south-eastern United States by applying a set of burn window criteria that capture temperature, relative humidity and wind speed to projections from an ensemble of Global Climate Models under two greenhouse gas emission scenarios. Regionally, the percentage of suitable days for burning changes little during winter but decreases substantially in summer owing to rising temperatures by the end of the 21st century compared with historical conditions. Management implications of such changes for six representative land management units include seasonal shifts in burning opportunities from summer to cool-season months, but with considerable regional variation. We contend that the practical constraints of rising temperatures on prescribed fire activities represent a significant future challenge and show that even meeting basic burn criteria (as defined today) will become increasingly difficult over time, which speaks to the need for adaptive management strategies to prepare for such changes.

Additional keywords: coastal plain, piedmont, managed fire regimes, statistical downscaling, wildfire