Forests - Forest fires

Title

Impact of forest fires on particulate matter and ozone levels during the 2003, 2004 and 2005 fire seasons in Portugal

Reference

Science of The Total Environment
Volume 414, 1 January 2012, Pages 53–62

Author(s)

V. Martins, A.I. Miranda, A. Carvalho, M. Schaap, C. Borrego, E. Sá

Study type

Peer Review Journal    

Abstract

The main purpose of this work is to estimate the impact of forest fires on air pollution applying the LOTOS-EUROS air quality modeling system in Portugal for three consecutive years, 2003–2005. Forest fire emissions have been included in the modeling system through the development of a numerical module, which takes into account the most suitable parameters for Portuguese forest fire characteristics and the burnt area by large forest fires. To better evaluate the influence of forest fires on air quality the LOTOS-EUROS system has been applied with and without forest fire emissions. Hourly concentration results have been compared to measure data at several monitoring locations with better modeling quality parameters when forest fire emissions were considered. Moreover, hourly estimates, with and without fire emissions, can reach differences in the order of 20%, showing the importance and the influence of this type of emissions on air quality.

Policy theme(s)

Air pollution >> Source of emissions >> Terrestrial emissions
Forests >> Forest protection >> Forest fires

Keywords

Forest fire; Atmospheric emissions; Air quality modeling; Particulate matter; Ozone

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896971101165X
There is a fee to view this study in full    

Contact the study author at:

veram@ua.pt

Title

Integrating fire risk considerations in landscape-level forest planning

Reference

Forest Ecology and Management
Volume 261, Issue 2, 15 January 2011, Pages 278-287

Author(s)

José-Ramón González-Olabarria and Timo Pukkala

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

The low timber returns of Mediterranean forests, together with their high fire risk, has led to negligent forest management. Absence of management has in turn been blamed for increasing the risk of fire, thus forming a vicious circle of low profitability, little management and high risk of fire. Developing forest planning tools that maximize both economic objectives and fire resistance could help to revive the forest sector in the region and generate long-term fire prevention strategies. In the present study, we simultaneously maximized timber income and the overall fire resistance of the landscape to generate management plans for a typical forest landscape in the Pre-Pyrenees of Catalonia (North-East Spain). The risk of fire was integrated into the economic objective by incorporating potential fire losses in the expected net income. Landscape metrics describing fire resistance were also included in problem formulations. The results show that this approach greatly improves management efficiency in terms of economic profitability and fire resistance.

Policy theme(s)

Forests >> Forest protection >> Forest fires
Natural hazards >> Wildfires

Keywords

Fire resistance, Heuristics, Simulated annealing, Spatial optimization

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112710006298
There is a fee to view this study in full

Contact the study author at:

jr.gonzalez@ctfc.es