Search

The purpose of the research is to find out, analyze and describe the Implementation of Response Time Service Policy for Fire Incident Management in Manado City Fire Service and the determinant factors. The method used in this research is qualitative research method. The results showed that in the implementation of the Fire Event Response Time Service Policy in Manado City Fire Service, there are six important indicators, namely (1) Media call center which plays an important role in fire handling as the main link between the community and fire handling officials, (2) Implementing apparatus consisting of various roles with complementary responsibilities, from fire fighting to fire prevention, (3) Fire fighting facilities in this case facilities and infrastructure which are important elements in fire management efforts, (4) The situation of the fire location which greatly affects the response and fire management activities, (5) The distance and limitations of hydrants which affect the speed and effectiveness of fire management, and (6) Coordination between agencies in fire management plays an important role in ensuring a fast, effective, and coordinated response to fire situations. The determinant factor in fire incident management efforts is Human Resources (HR) which is the main driving factor in the implementation of fire management. The Human Resources referred to here are the number of fire fighting personnel. Next is the facilities or facilities and infrastructure supporting firefighting activities which include vehicles and other extinguishing aids used in extinguishing activities, then the limited budget both in terms of the budget for operations and the budget for procurement and repair of facilities and infrastructure supporting extinguishing activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Temperate grassy woodlands were once widespread in southeast Australia and were shaped by fire regimes imposed by Indigenous peoples. Today, they persist as scattered fragments in matrices of highly modified farmland, where fire is rare and eucalypt trees are in decline. Returning fire to these fragments is a suggested approach to reduce fuels and stimulate eucalypt recruitment. We implemented a single round of small, low‐intensity surface fires in a woodland fragment in the Tasmanian Midlands and assessed adult eucalypt mortality and juvenile recruitment. The fires were set during mild fire weather, were tended by 4–15 people, and fire‐fighting vehicles were used to extinguish burning trees. Still, the fires killed 7% of adult eucalypts (18 trees), mostly due to cambial girdling which occurred where burning litter and coarse woody debris at the base of the trees initiated smouldering fires in thick bark on the lower trunks. Seedling recruitment was restricted to ash beds near trees with viable seed crops. Seedlings survived only if protected from mammalian herbivores. Herbivore protection also increased the growth of lignotuberous sprouts after fire. Our findings demonstrate that eucalypt trees in degraded woodland fragments may be vulnerable to low‐intensity surface fire. We make recommendations as to how managers may burn woodland fragments in ways that avoid killing eucalypt trees and enhance postfire recruitment, enabling transition to more sustainable fire regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Location Methods Results Main Conclusions Effective strategies to mitigate threats are crucial to ensure the persistence of biodiversity. In contrast to the decades of research on threatened species in Australia, threatened ecological communities (TECs) have historically received less attention. In particular, there is no synthesis of the threats impacting ecological communities, limiting our ability to coordinate and prioritise management towards recovery. In this study, we aimed to: (1) compile and summarise the threats to Australian TECs to identify the most prevalent causes of decline and (2) identify common management strategies for TEC recovery.Australia.We conducted a content analysis to extract and categorise data on threats for 103 TECs to develop the first national threats database along with a standardised classification scheme. We summarised the broad and specific threats impacting TECs and translated recovery needs of TECs into threat abatement strategies.Most Australian TECs are threatened by multiple and diverse threats (an average of 14.4 threats per TEC). These spanned 49 threats (e.g., nutrient loads), categorised into eight broad‐level threats (e.g., pollution). The most prevalent broad‐level threats are ‘Invasive species and disease’ and ‘Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation’, each impacting at least 98% of TECs. Almost all TECs would benefit from threat mitigation strategies such as habitat restoration, invasive weed management and ecological fire regime management.Overall, the threats database we developed can be used to inform conservation planning and effective threat abatement strategies tailored to the recovery of TECs at local, regional and national scales. It will also facilitate integrated analyses of threats and conservation actions between TECs and threatened species to increase management efficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is altering fire regimes globally, leading to an increased incidence of large and severe wildfires, including gigafires (>100,000 ha), that homogenise landscapes. Despite this, our understanding of how large, severe wildfires affect biodiversity at the landscape scale remains limited.We investigated the impact of a gigafire that occurred during the unprecedented 2019–20 Australian 'Black Summer' on terrestrial fauna. We selected 24 study landscapes, each 0.785 km2 in size, that represented a gradient in the extent of high severity fire, unburnt vegetation, and the diversity of fire severity classes ('pyrodiversity'). We used wildlife cameras to survey biodiversity across each landscape and quantified species activity, community and functional diversity, and predator–prey network metrics. We used Bayesian mixed‐effects models to assess the influence of fire‐induced landscape properties on these measures.Most native species showed resilience to the 2019–20 wildfires, displaying few relationships with fire‐induced properties of landscapes, including the extent of high severity fire, unburnt vegetation, or pyrodiversity.Community and functional diversity and measures of predator–prey networks were also largely unaffected by fire‐induced landscape properties, although landscapes with a greater proportion of high severity fire had higher abundance and richness of introduced animal species.Synthesis and applications: Despite prevailing narratives of widespread ecological destruction following the 2019–20 wildfires, our findings suggest widespread resilience, potentially facilitated by evolutionary adaptations of animals to fire. Interventions aimed at helping such species recover may not be necessary and could instead focus on the subset of species that are vulnerable to severe fire. While mixed‐severity fires are often advocated to promote biodiversity through pyrodiversity, our results suggest that such management efforts might not be necessary in our study region. Given that severe fire favours introduced animal species, invasive species management could focus on large, severely burnt areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In fire‐prone regions, the occurrence of some faunal species is contingent on the presence of resources that arise through post‐fire plant succession. Through planned burning, managers can alter resource availability and aim to provide the conditions required to promote biodiversity. Understanding how species occurrence changes at different spatial and temporal scales after fire is essential to achieve this goal. However, many fire prescriptions are guided primarily by the responses of fire‐sensitive plants when setting tolerable fire intervals. This approach assumes that maintaining floristic diversity will satisfy the requirements of fauna. We surveyed bird species in two semi‐arid vegetation types across an environmental gradient in south‐eastern Australia. We conducted four surveys at each of 253 sites across a 75‐year chronosequence of time since fire and used generalized additive mixed models to examine changes in the occurrence of birds in response to time since fire. Model predictions were compared to plant‐derived fire prescriptions currently guiding fire management in the region. Time since fire was a significant predictor for 18 of 28 species modeled, in at least one vegetation type, over a gradient of 1.3° of latitude. We detected considerable variation in the responses of some species, both between vegetation types and geographically within a vegetation type. Our evaluation of plant‐derived fire prescriptions suggests that the intervals considered acceptable for maintaining floristic diversity may not be sustainable for populations of birds requiring longer unburnt vegetation, with 6 of the 12 species assessed attaining a mean occurrence probability of 20.3% by the minimum tolerable fire interval, and 57.3% by the maximum tolerable fire interval, in their respective vegetation types. Our findings highlight the potential vulnerability of fire‐responsive bird species if fire prescriptions are applied in a manner that fails to account for the slow development of habitat resources needed by some species, and the variation detected within the responses of species. This highlights the need for species‐specific data collected at an appropriate spatial scale to inform management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of People & Nature is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Forest and land fires cause substantial economic, social, and environmental devastation. Interagency forest and land fire management has succeeded in decreasing the impact of these fires, particularly in Indonesia. Having comprehensive information on fire locations and frequencies will benefit national forest and land fire management programmes. This study describes nearly a decade of satellite-based burned area (BA) monitoring conducted by the Indonesian government. We discuss (1) the history of BA mapping in Indonesia, (2) the most recent techniques for producing monthly BA maps, (3) an evaluation of product accuracy, (4) advantages and disadvantages, and (5) recommendations for future research. The most recent approach combines manual and digital classification, primarily using Landsat images, but has been supplemented with Sentinel data since 2020. The digital analysis, named the normalized burn ratio difference index threshold, was used to distinguish between burned and unburned pixels, guiding the interpreter’s manual digitization. BA confidence levels were determined using active fire products and ground truth data. We engaged provincial and local agency stakeholders to verify the products and provide quality assurance. We also assessed product performance by examining high-resolution images captured at three different locations to ascertain the relative advantages and disadvantages, which varied depending on each region’s fire regime. Small fires and cloud cover reduced the accuracy of the national monthly BA product. However, the omission error decreased by 65% when all fires throughout the entire year were considered. The inclusion of all available Sentinel-2 (A and B) images yielded higher accuracy than using only Landsat 8 data. We conclude that Indonesia’s cloud coverage constraint requires additional observational data to obtain clear-sky imagery when using optical sensors, in addition to the adjusted technique. We urge the introduction of reliable digital classifications for all Indonesian fire regimes to simplify resource deployment and reduce manual labour operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has led to an increase in fire frequency in some areas on Earth. Satellite-derived spectral indices such as the Burn Area Index (BAI), the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR), and their various derivatives are important for monitoring fires. The Burn Area Index for Sentinel-2 (BAIS2), which relies on the spectral bands of Sentinel-2, has a limitation due to its dependence on the red-edge spectral region unique to this satellite. To address this limitation, two new spectral indices (the Optimized Burned Area Index (OBAI) and the Optimized Burned Area Thermal Index (OBATI)) for burned scar mapping have been proposed based on the spectral separability concept and inter-band correlations. These indices aimed to improve the effectiveness of burned scar mapping by utilizing a wider range of spectral bands, including Landsat-8 thermal band and visible, near infrared (NIR), and mid infrared (MIR) regions of either Landsat-8 or Sentinel-2 sensors, which are more responsive to burned scars. We used spatial and spectral accuracy assessments to compare the effectiveness of the standard burned scar mapping indices (BASI2 and NBR) with the newly developed indices in discriminating the burned scars in several world regions. Based on Emergency Management Service fire perimeters, the vector distance algorithm (VDA) revealed that the accuracy of the fire perimeters extracted from the newly developed index, OBAI, was more reliable than the perimeters extracted using the BAIS2 and NBR. The BAIS2 index had the lowest performance in terms of spectral sensitivity compared to the other indices in the detection of burned scars. The performance of the developed optical index was high once the Landsat-8 data used to calculate it compared to Sentinel-2 data. Our findings could be used to further optimize global burned scar products derived from spaceborne data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As urbanization accelerates and buildings become more complex, fire emergency evacuation has become increasingly challenging. Traditional evacuation plans often struggle with slow response times and suboptimal path planning in real-time dynamic and complex fire scenarios. To address these issues, this study proposes the IoT-based DWM-Evac model for fire emergency evacuation path planning. The model leverages IoT technology by using various sensors placed inside buildings to monitor fire incidents and spread in real-time, collecting critical data such as temperature, smoke concentration, and flame location. It integrates Dynamic Graph Neural Networks (DGNN), Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA), and Markov Decision Process (MDP) to enhance path efficiency and safety. Experimental results indicate that the DWM-Evac model achieves an average evacuation time of 315 s in a virtual mall environment, 25 s shorter than traditional plans, with an average path length of 255 meters and a path safety score of 0.92, higher than the traditional plan's 0.88. The application of IoT in fire emergency management not only improves response speed but also optimizes path planning, significantly enhancing personnel safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfire risk has been exacerbated across Europe by climate change favoring more damaging and severe wildfire events. This evolving wildfire risk context interacts with a broad landscape of EU policies including those on nature conservation, forestry, bioeconomy or climate and energy, all of which may increase or reduce fire hazard and the level of exposure and vulnerability of the values at risk. Coherently addressed, policies may support wildfire disaster risk management synergistically while reducing potential dysfunctions. This research conducts a content analysis of EU policies and initiatives under the European Green Deal with respect to integrated wildfire risk management and related nature-based solutions. The results show that a consistent EU policy framework to address wildfire risk reduction in a synergic way exists, with no major conflicts in the policy design. Nevertheless, better guidance on fire-smart land management practices and the conceptualization of wildfire-related nature-based solutions may enhance a more coherent policy implementation. Additional suggestions around the legal status of wildfire protection and 'whole of government' governance frameworks are discussed. Notably, within the laws, policies and initiatives analyzed, the beneficial side of fire addressed by integrated fire management is either missing or not explicitly mentioned, although it is considered in policy-related supporting guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the role of prescribed grazing as a sustainable fire prevention strategy in Mediterranean ecosystems, with a focus on Sardinia, an area highly susceptible to wildfires. Using FlamMap simulation software, we modeled fire behavior across various grazing and environmental conditions to assess the impact of grazing on fire severity indicators such as flame length, rate of spread, and fireline intensity. Results demonstrate that grazing can reduce fire severity by decreasing combustible biomass, achieving reductions of 25.9% in fire extent in wet years, 60.9% in median years, and 45.8% in dry years. Grazed areas exhibited significantly lower fire intensity, particularly under high canopy cover. These findings support the integration of grazing into fire management policies, highlighting its efficacy as a nature-based solution. However, the study's scope is limited to small biomass fuels (1-h fuels); future research should extend to larger fuel classes to enhance the generalizability of prescribed grazing as a fire mitigation tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prescribed burns are a land management tool currently used to aid in fire mitigation and to promote desired plant species and reduce undesired species, which are often invasive species. Currently, there is a public stigma surrounding the negative effects of prescribed burns, which impacts their use near residential areas. There are also particular challenges of conducting prescribed burns in urban and suburban areas. A better understanding of these relatively small-scale prescribed burns and their impact on atmospheric chemistry and air quality can allow for better communication with the public about their positive impacts, as well as for the acknowledgement and quantification of their drawbacks. This study considers the particulate matter concentrations proximate to prescribed fires being conducted in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. We deployed low-cost sensors in the spring and fall of 2022 at four sites. Concentrations of particulate matter exceeded accepted human health exposure limits at locations that burn crews would experience, but levels quickly returned to baseline after the high-intensity phase of the burn. With the ever-expanding wildland–urban interface and increased efforts in ecological restoration, understanding the particulate matter emissions of prescribed fires conducted near populated areas can provide more data regarding air quality impacts. These impacts should be weighed against the ecological benefits of prescribed burns and potential air quality impacts from uncontrolled burns from ecosystems that are not treated with prescribed burns. Measuring air quality impacts can also inform fire management practices with the goal of reducing future emissions. With the very present effects of climate change, understanding baselines regarding prescribed fires can better equip future research and fire professionals in fighting fire with fire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant resources have been devoted to increasing the supply of data and information products for wildland fire management. There has been comparatively less emphasis on understanding the demand for these products. There are large differences in the number of information sources that fire managers use in decision making. We developed a value-of-information model for wildland fire managers to formulate hypotheses about what factors drive these differences. Data from a comprehensive internet survey targeting a well-defined population of the Southwest wildland fire managers are used to test these hypotheses. Results are generally consistent with hypotheses generated from the value-of-information model. Multiple regression results suggest information use increases with the number of decisions that managers make and is greater during fire season than before. Information use is affected by a manager's level of education, age, experience, job type, the agencies they work for, and the multi-agency dispatch centers where they work. Agency and dispatch center effects explain more of the variation in information use than differences in the respondents' personal characteristics. To better understand fire manager demand for information, future research could explore in more detail what specific attributes of agencies and dispatch centers affect use of information for wildland fire management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we explore the profound impact of the Tasmanian Aboriginal (Palawa) people on Tasmanian landscapes by examining a 22,000‐year record of landscape change from Lake Selina in western Tasmania, Australia. We analysed a sediment core for palaeoecological proxies, namely, pollen (vegetation), charcoal (fire), and geochemical data (landscape weathering). This study reveals that the contemporary landscape is a product of Palawa people's intentional and strategic fire management practices characterised by fire‐dependent buttongrass moorland and the absence of climax rainforest. Specifically, our data show that rainforest failed to re‐establish a dominance at Lake Selina following the end of the Last Glacial Maximum, as temperature and moisture increased as a result of Palawa cultural fire for at least 18,000 years. This finding challenges the long‐held notion that Tasmania's wilderness is a product of the absence of human activity. Rather, archaeological sites across western and central Tasmania demonstrate long term presence, with some of the highest artefact and faunal bone densities in the world. The study contributes to the recognition of Tasmania's west as a cultural landscape shaped by generations of Aboriginal care for Country and fire practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate burn severity mapping is essential for understanding the impacts of wildfires on vegetation dynamics in arid savannas. The frequent wildfires in these biomes often cause topkill, where the vegetation experiences above-ground combustion but the below-ground root structures survive, allowing for subsequent regrowth post-burn. Investigating post-fire regrowth is crucial for maintaining ecological balance, elucidating fire regimes, and enhancing the knowledge base of land managers regarding vegetation response. This study examined the relationship between bush burn severity and woody vegetation post-burn coppicing/regeneration events in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana. Utilizing UAV-derived RGB imagery combined with a Random Forest (RF) classification algorithm, we aimed to enhance the precision of burn severity mapping at a fine spatial resolution. Our research focused on a 1 km2 plot within the Modisa Wildlife Reserve, extensively burnt by the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Fire of 2021. The UAV imagery, captured at various intervals post-burn, provided detailed orthomosaics and canopy height models, facilitating precise land cover classification and burn severity assessment. The RF model achieved an overall accuracy of 79.71% and effectively identified key burn severity indicators, including green vegetation, charred grass, and ash deposits. Our analysis revealed a >50% probability of woody vegetation regrowth in high-severity burn areas six months post-burn, highlighting the resilience of these ecosystems. This study demonstrates the efficacy of low-cost UAV photogrammetry for fine-scale burn severity assessment and provides valuable insights into post-fire vegetation recovery, thereby aiding land management and conservation efforts in savannas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical evidence in scientific literature shows that forest flammability in south‐western Australia declines as forests recover from disturbance, indicating that current policies mandating disturbance may be counterproductive. Zylstra et al. (2023) used mechanistic modelling to explain this trend in Red Tingle (Eucalyptus jacksonii) forest in south‐western Australia. McCaw. (2024) have questioned the validity of the modelling, advancing hypothetical arguments as to why one of the inputs ('suspended litter') is incorrect and re‐asserting the need for the current policy.The primary argument by McCaw. (2024) depends upon the redefinition of a component of surface litter into suspended litter. The published definition of near‐surface fuel defines necromass as 'suspended' fuel only if it is suspended in living plants or collapsed shrubs. McCaw. (2024) removed this requirement, so that a component of surface fuel was incorrectly measured as 'suspended' fuel long after the plants that might suspend it had self‐thinned from the landscape.This physically impossible assertion was supported by an empirical study led by an architect of the policy and utilising the same redefinition of suspended litter, also reporting physically impossible findings as a result.Given the well‐documented decline in wildfire likelihood in long‐unburnt forest, the claim by McCaw. (2024) that suspended litter does not decline suggests at best that such litter plays a lesser role than previously believed. The approaches used by McCaw. (2024) to defend Government policy should be understood in context of growing international concerns around scientific suppression used in defence of Government policy. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme wildfire events, such as the Pantanal 2020 megafires, are expected to become more common. Assessing the impacts of such extreme events on wildlife is imperative for conservation planning. Direct observation of carcasses can provide valuable information on how these impacts relate to spatial heterogeneity.Here, we use double‐observer carcass surveys to assess the numbers and spatial patterns of direct mortalities of medium‐ to large‐sized mammals resulting from the Pantanal 2020 megafires in a large reserve (1080 km2) in the northern Pantanal wetland. Accounting for imperfect detection, we model the spatial variation in mortality occurrence and abundance, testing the effects of habitat‐related variables and wildfire severity using multi‐species N‐mixture models.We found that 26 out of 27 species of medium and large‐sized mammals died from the fires with a mean estimate of around 49 thousand individuals. The most affected species included capuchin monkeys, agoutis, peccaries, tapirs, brocket deer, tamanduas, coatis and capybaras.Direct mortality of mammals by wildfires was affected by landscape factors related to species habitats, species traits (probably related to escape or refuge strategies), and the intensity of the wildfires. Mortalities presented a general positive relationship with non‐flooded forests (a fire‐sensitive habitat in Pantanal) and with the severity of wildfires. Artificial water bodies, a common landscape structure in Pantanal, had 7.5 times more deaths than other areas.Synthesis and applications: With the approach used, we were able to: (i) identify mortality hotspots associated with landscape features; (ii) simultaneously identify the most affected species and assess the average relationships for all the assemblage of medium‐ and large‐sized mammals. We discuss conservation and management actions in two contexts: species prioritization for rescuing and monitoring; and territory prioritization for fire prevention and fighting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires in forests globally have become more frequent and intense because of changes in climate and human management. Shrub layer fuels allow fire to spread vertically to forest canopy, creating high-intensity fires. Our research provides a deep-time perspective on shrub fuel loads in fire-prone southeastern Australia. Comparing 2833 records for vegetation cover, past climate, biomass burning, and human population size across different phases of human occupation, we demonstrated that Indigenous population expansion and cultural fire use resulted in a 50% reduction in shrub cover, from approximately 30% from the early to mid-Holocene (12 to 6 thousand years ago) to 15% during the late to mid-Holocene (6 to 1 thousand years ago). Since the start of British colonization to the present, shrub cover has increased to the highest ever recorded (mean of 35% land cover), increasing the risk of high-intensity fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the frequency and severity of building fires have increased with rapid urbanization, particularly in high-rise buildings and high-building-density areas. Although proactive building fire risk management (PBFRM) can address this issue, significant research gaps exist. This research aims to propose a conceptual framework for understanding the existing condition of integrating proactive building fire risk management in the building construction sector, and the effect on improving building fire safety. It has been performed through a comprehensive review of the relevant literature. This framework identifies five components by answering the following questions: what? (building fire safety), of what? (buildings), to what? (integrate PBFRM in the building construction sector), for what? (ensuring resilience, sustainability and smartness), and how? (through building construction sector governance). According to the proposed conceptual framework, building fire safety can be achieved by integrating the PBFRM measures in different building attributes throughout the building life cycle. At the same time, resilience, sustainability and smartness must be ensured. These can be achieved through governance in the building construction sector. The proposed conceptual framework will contribute to policy and practice by facilitating policymakers and stakeholders in assessing the existing conditions and the efficacy of building fire safety measures, and thereby in devising strategies to further reinforce them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lightning detection and attribution to wildfire ignitions is a critical component of fire management worldwide to both reduce hazards of wildfire to values-at-risk and to enhance the potential for wildland fire to provide resource benefits in fire-adapted ecosystems. We compared two operational ground-based lightning detection networks used by fire managers to identify cloud-to-ground strokes within operationally-relevant distances (1.6 km) of the origins of 4408 western United States lightning-ignited wildfires spanning May–September 2020. Applying two sets of constraints–varying holdover time and applying a quality control measure–we found strokes were co-detected near 55–65% of fires, increasing to 65–79% for detection by at least one network, with neither network detecting lightning near 1024–1666 fires. Because each network detected strokes near 136–376 unique fires, the use of both networks is suggested to increase the probability of identifying potential fire starts. Given the number of fires with network-unique detections and no detections by either network, improvements in lightning detection networks are recommended given increasing fire hazard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire activity and fire weather in a fire–prone Lower Mekong subregion (mainly encompassing northern Thailand, eastern Myanmar, and northern Laos) were investigated over a long–term 20–year period (2003–2022) using multiple datasets (here, satellite–detected fires, gridded ERA5–based fire weather, gridded land cover, terrain elevation, slope, potential available biomass, and population density). Both fires and fire weather exhibit strong seasonality. In the dry season, fires are intensified, and fire weather promotes them. Dry–season fires contribute dominantly to total fires. Fire grouping was performed to cluster dry–season fires into groups. The log–logistic and exponential models were used to fit daily fine fuel moisture code and fire weather index of the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System, respectively, together with daily fire activity. The calibrated thresholds of the two indices were determined using a slope–based method, partitioning each index into different danger levels. The new calibrated thresholds suggest fires in Lower Southeast Asia being more sensitive to fire weather than in Upper Southeast Asia. A generalized linear model based procedure was used to remove the effects of fire weather on trend (i.e., weather adjustment). The original trends in fire activity are significantly decreasing. The weather–adjusted trends in fire activity also show a decline, confirming effective regional fire management. Differences in the weather–adjusted trends between the first and second half periods suggest that Thailand has maintained effective fire management in the recent years. But Myanmar and Laos may need to strengthen their fire management especially in the forest and agricultural areas, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background. Firefighter safety is a top priority in wildland fire response and management. Existing explanations emphasise how land management agency initiatives to change organisational culture, usually inspired by fatality incidents, contribute to changes both in formal safety policies and informal safety practices. Aims. This paper identifies external factors that lead to changes in wildland firefighter safety policies and practices. Methods. This paper uses qualitative data from a long-term ethnographic research project. Data include detailed fieldnotes, semi-structured interviews, and agency documents, which were systematically coded and thematically analysed. Key results. In addition to the triggering effects of fatality incidents and agency initiatives to change organisational culture, external factors also directly impact the development of firefighter safety policies and practices. These include socio-demographic, material, political, and social-environmental factors. Conclusions. Identifying and understanding the influence of multi-scalar external factors on firefighter safety is essential to improving safety outcomes and reducing firefighters' exposure to hazards. Implications. Attention to and recognition of external factors is valuable for fire managers and practitioners, whose work is influenced and constrained by meso- and macro-level factors. The framework presented in this paper would be useful in understanding other important aspects of wildland fire management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Prescribed fire is vital for fuel reduction and ecological restoration, but the effectiveness and fine-scale interactions are poorly understood. Aims. We developed methods for processing uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) imagery into spatially explicit pyrometrics, including measurements of fuel consumption, rate of spread, and residence time to quantitatively measure three prescribed fires. Methods. We collected infrared (IR) imagery continuously (0.2 Hz) over prescribed burns and one experimental calibration burn, capturing fire progression and combustion for multiple hours. Key results. Pyrometrics were successfully extracted from UAS-IR imagery with sufficient spatiotemporal resolution to effectively measure and differentiate between fires. UAS-IR fuel consumption correlated with weight-based measurements of 10 1-m2 experimental burn plots, validating our approach to estimating consumption with a costeffective UAS-IR sensor (R² = 0.99; RMSE = 0.38 kg m-2). Conclusions. Our findings demonstrate UAS-IR pyrometrics are an accurate approach to monitoring fire behaviour and effects, such as measurements of consumption. Prescribed fire is a fine-scale process; a ground sampling distance of <2.3 m² is recommended. Additional research is needed to validate other derived measurements. Implications. Refined fire monitoring coupled with refined objectives will be pivotal in informing fire management of best practices, justifying the use of prescribed fire and providing quantitative feedback in an uncertain environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Climate change has increased the occurrence of fire-prone weather and extreme weather events in Europe. Improving resilience of forests to reduce fire hazard has become an imperative challenge to tackle. Aims. This study aims to incorporate extreme fire events from future climate projections in developing forest planning and land management scenarios, evaluating fire risk mitigation potential. Methods. Using the wildfire--atmosphere coupled modelling system WRF-SFIRE, land management scenarios for the Lombada Forest Intervention Region (ILMA) in northeast Portugal were assessed under a business-as-usual future climate scenario. The Fire Weather Index (FWI) was used as a predictor of fire danger to select two fire events. Results. Agricultural areas can function as barrier for wildfire conditions under cooler weather. Management of the existing pine forest yielded a reduction in fire spread speed and intensity, namely in lower wind speed regimes, significantly improving suppressive capabilities. Conclusions. Fuel treatment of maritime pine performed best in reducing fire spread rate, intensity and improving suppression capability. Replacing agricultural areas with oak-based land cover can promote higher fire intensity and spread rates in the younger stanges or if left unmanaged. Implications. This framework can be used to provide additional tools for forest management across different landscapes reducing fire hazard and vulnerability and improving forest resilience, under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Fire weather indices forecast fire behaviour and provide valuable information for wildland fire prevention, preparedness, and suppression. However, these indices do not directly account for atmospheric conditions aloft. The province of Alberta, Canada has experienced extreme fire weather conditions during spring for decades, leading to the continued occurrence of disastrous wildland fires. Aims. We examined the Hot-Dry-Windy Index (HDWI) and spread days over the first 4 days of 80 large wildland fires that started in May 1990--2019 in Alberta. Methods. HDWI values were calculated using ERA5 reanalysis data from the 1000, 975 and 950 hPa levels. Differences between HDWI distributions on spread days and non-spread days were examined using permutation tests. Initial Spread Index was also examined as it is considered an important Fire Weather Index System value for wildland fire spread during spring in Alberta. Key results. Higher median HDWI values were observed on spread days than non-spread days, where median Initial Spread Index values showed little to no difference. Conclusions. This analysis suggests that HDWI can contribute to the prediction of significant spring wildland fire spread in Alberta. Implications. Forecasted HDWI and HDWI climatologies may provide additional decision support for wildland fire management agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Reducing the delay between the detection of a fire and the arrival of the initial attack (IA) crew can have a significant impact on the likelihood of the IA's success. Aims. The objective of this study was to identify factors influencing same-day getaway time, next-day getaway time and travel time of helitack IA crews in the province of Quebec, Canada. Methods. Using generalised linear modelling and model selection, we analysed the impact of multiple factors on these three distinct times. Key results. Our results show that factors such as the distance between the departure base and the fire, the number of flight legs to reach a fire, dispatch hour, departure base location, the fire's rate of spread, Julian date, the number of active fires, fuel type and the fire's size at detection all influenced getaway time and travel time with varying degrees of influence. Conclusions. The factors with the highest influence were distance for travel time and dispatch hour for both same-day and next-day getaway times. Implications. Addressing these high-impact factors through the modification of deployment policies and the positioning of helitack crews could help reduce response times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (CRCT; Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus) conservation populations may be at risk from wildfire and post-fire debris flows hazards. Aim. To predict burn severity and potential post-fire debris flow hazard classifications to CRCT conservation populations before wildfires occur. Methods. We used remote sensing, spatial analyses, and machine learning to model 28 wildfire incidents (2016-2020) and spatially predict burn severity from pre-wildfire environmental factors to evaluate the likelihood (%) and volume (m³) hazard classification of post-fire debris flow. Key results. Burn severity was best predicted by fuels, followed by topography, physical ecosystem conditions, and weather (mean adjusted R² = 0.54). Predictions of high or moderate burn severity covered 1.1 (15% of study area) and 1.5 (19% of study area) million ha, respectively, and varied by watershed. Combined high or moderate debris flow hazard classification included 80% of stream reaches with conservation populations and 97% of conservation population point nodes. Conclusions. Predicted burn severity and potential post-fire debris flow indicated moderate to high hazard for CRCT conservation populations native to the Green and Yampa rivers of the Upper Colorado River Basin. Implications. Future management actions can incorporate predicted burn severity and potential post-fire debris flow to mitigate impacts to CRCT and other at-risk resource values before a wildfire occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Eucalyptus globulus is highly susceptible to fire, and contributes to increased fire intensity. In 2021, it spanned 25 million hectares, marking it as the forest genus with the broadest area of cultivation. Aims. This study investigates the flammability characteristics of Eucalyptus globulus relative to the fuel age, focusing on fire thermal and physical characteristics. Methods. Experimental and numerical analyses were performed using the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) within the large-eddy simulation (LES)-based Lagrangian particle cloud model. Results. Six-month-old Eucalyptus globulus trees present a significant fire hazard. Older trees (3 and 5 years) exhibit more intense burns owing to reduced moisture content and larger fuel elements. Conclusions. The flammability of Eucalyptus globulus varies with the growth stage, as older plants generate higher heat flux and burn more intensely owing to larger fuel elements, concentrated volatile compounds and reduced moisture content. In contrast, younger plants are more prone to ignition but exhibit lower heat flux and higher flame lengths relative to crown height. Simulations using FDS 6.8.0 effectively can predict plants' key flammability and fire characteristics based on detailed laboratory data, demonstrating this tool's capability in fire dynamics modelling and its behaviour prediction. Implications. These findings can enhance fire modelling result quality and risk assessment in eucalyptus forests, guiding targeted fire management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire offers both opportunities and risks for wildlife. Its impact will depend on the fire's scale, how it alters key resources and how animals move. Understanding how wildlife respond to fire is crucial as climate change is predicted to increase wildfire risk and will likely result in more frequent prescribed fire to reduce wildfire risk. Invasive predators and inappropriate fire regimes in south-eastern Australia threaten the long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus), a vulnerable marsupial often residing in areas frequently exposed to fire. The cumulative impacts of fire and predation may increase the threat to P. tridactylus after fire, as predators can be more effective in the immediate post-fire environment and P. tridactylus is often dependent on thick ground cover. We present a before-after control-impact experiment describing the influence of prescribed fire on P. tridactylus. We fitted GPS collars to 52 individuals at nine independent sites to test if exposure to prescribed burning reduced their survival or altered their movement behavior. Prescribed fire reduced P. tridactylus survival, yet range size and diffusion (movement) rate remained largely unaffected. With limited fire exposure, P. tridactylus tended to continue using burnt areas whereas activity became restricted to unburnt areas when larger proportions of their home range burnt. Site fidelity was very high - individuals rarely moved their home ranges after fire, regardless of fire exposure. Our results suggest recently burnt areas may be particularly dangerous for P. tridactylus: areas that can be attractive yet confer lower fitness outcomes. P. tridactylus may benefit from smaller fire scars, retention of structurally complex vegetation, and integrating invasive predator control with prescribed burning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting environmental disturbances and evaluating their potential impacts on the habitats of various plant and animal species is a suitable strategy for guiding conservation efforts. Wildfires are a type of disturbance that can affect many aspects of an ecosystem and its species. Therefore, through the integration of spatial models and species distribution models (SDMs), we can make informed predictions of the occurrence of such phenomena and their potential impacts. This study focused on five focal species, namely, the brown bear (Ursus arctos), wild goat (Capra aegagrus), wild sheep (Ovis orientalis), wildcat (Felis silvestris), and striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena). This study used MODIS active fire data and ensemble machine learning methods to model the risk of wildfire occurrence in 2023 for spring, summer, and autumn separately. This study also investigated the suitability of habitats for focal species via SDMs. The predicted probability maps for wildfire risk and habitat suitability were converted to binary values via the true skill statistic (TSS) threshold. The overlap of the habitat suitability map and wildfire occurrence areas was analyzed via GAP analysis. The area prone to fire in spring, summer and winter is equal to 9077.32; 10,199.83 and 13,723.49 KM2 were calculated, which indicates an increase in wildfire risk. Proximity to roads is one of the most important factors affecting the possible effects of wildfires in all seasons. Most fire occurrences are concentrated on agricultural lands, which, when integrated with other land use types, have wildfire potential in all seasons. The use of fire to destroy agricultural residues is a critical factor in the occurrence of wildfires. The distribution range of each focal species is considered the most important component of fire susceptibility. Hence, the suitable habitat for Hyaena hyaena in spring, summer, and autumn, with areas of 5.257, 5.856, and 6.889 km2 respectively, is the most affected by the possibility of fire. In contrast, these areas have the lowest values for Ovis orientalis, with 162, 127, and 396 km2 respectively. Therefore, species that are dependent on human-based ecosystems have the highest vulnerability to wildfire. Conservation efforts should focus on familiarizing farmers with methods of destroying agricultural residues as well as the consequences of intentional fires. The findings of this study can be used to mitigate the negative impacts of wildfire and protect the habitat of focal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire regimes are changing globally, leading to an increased need for management interventions to protect human lives and interests, potentially conflicting with biodiversity conservation. We conceptualized 5 major aspects of the process required to address threats to flora and used this conceptual model to examine and identify areas for improvement. We focused on threat identification, policy design, and action implementation. We illustrated the application of the conceptual model through a case study in southeastern Australia, where policies have been designed to prevent hazard reduction burns from exposing threatened flora to high‐frequency fire (HFF). We examined whether threatened species have been accurately identified as threatened by HFF, species were accounted for in key policies, and implementation of the policy reduced the incidence of HFF for target species. Species were mostly identified accurately as being threatened by HFF, and, broadly, the policy effectively minimized the threat from HFF. However, 96 species did not have HFF identified as a threat, and another 36 were missing from the policy entirely. Outcomes regarding the reduction of threat from HFF since policy introduction were species specific, despite an average increase in fire interval of 2 years. Despite the policy, over half (55%) the species studied have been affected by HFF since the policy was introduced. Although relatively minor improvements could optimize threat identification and policy design, the mixed success of action implementation highlights limitations that warrant further investigation. Our conceptual model enabled us to make clear and targeted recommendations for how different aspects of the policy could be improved and where further work is needed. We propose the conceptual model can be useful in a variety of contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Southeastern Siberia (SES) region has recently experienced increasingly extensive wildfires in spring, which have threatened its large carbon sequestration capacity from vast forests and peatlands. However, the underlying mechanisms propelling the increased fires and their potential responses to future climate change remain unclear. Here, by using reanalysis data and climate model output together with a deep learning model, we explore the relationship between positive-phase North Atlantic Tripole (NAT) sea-surface temperature anomalies and SES wildfire increases and project the future trend in SES wildfire intensities under climate change. We found that the positive-phase April NAT enhances the Siberian anticyclone, causing increased temperatures and snowmelt via strengthened transport of warm-air advection into the SES region. The latter process heightens the exposure of local high-density peatlands to favorable conditions for fire ignition and leads to more intensive wildfire incidents. We further demonstrate that the projected NAT variations can drive interdecadal changes in future April SES wildfires. With future phase shifting of NAT modes under global warming, the regionally averaged burned area in SES could be increased by 47–62% under different warming scenarios from 1982–2014 to 2015–2100. Our findings reveal the climate-driven escalation of future wildfires in SES in the context of global warming and call for active and urgent fire management strategies to mitigate the fire risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Fire Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Fire Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study presents a novel reanalysis dataset of dead fuel moisture content (DFMC) across California from 2000 to 2020 at a 2 km resolution. Utilizing a data assimilation system that integrates a simplified time-lag fuel moisture model with 10-h fuel moisture observations from remote automated weather stations (RAWS) allowed predictions of 10-h fuel moisture content by our method with a mean absolute error of 0.03 g/g compared to the widely used Nelson model, with a mean absolute error prediction of 0.05 g/g. For context, the values of DFMC in California are commonly between 0.05 g/g and 0.30 g/g. The presented product provides gridded hourly moisture estimates for 1-h, 10-h, 100-h, and 1000-h fuels, essential for analyzing historical fire activity and understanding climatological trends. The methodology presented here demonstrates significant advancements in the accuracy and robustness of fuel moisture estimates, which are critical for fire forecasting and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest fires are increasingly destructive, contributing to significant ecological damage, carbon emissions, and economic losses. Monitoring these fires promptly and accurately, particularly by delineating fire perimeters, is critical for mitigating their impact. Satellite-based remote sensing, especially using active fire products from VIIRS and MODIS, has proven indispensable for real-time forest fire monitoring. Despite advancements, challenges remain in accurately clustering and delineating fire perimeters in a timely manner, as many existing methods rely on manual processing, resulting in delays. Active fire perimeter (AFP) and Timely Active Fire Progression (TAFP) models were developed which aim to be an automated approach for clustering active fire data points and delineating perimeters. The results demonstrated that the combined dataset achieved the highest matching rate of 85.13% for fire perimeters across all size classes, with a 95.95% clustering accuracy for fires ≥100 ha. However, the accuracy decreased for smaller fires. Overall, 1500 m radii with alpha values of 0.1 were found to be the most effective for fire perimeter delineation, particularly when applied at larger radii. The proposed models can play a critical role in improving operational responses by fire management agencies, helping to mitigate the destructive impact of forest fires more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the fire regime in the highly diverse Paraguayan Chaco, focusing on different aspects of fire patterns, including spatial (area burned) and temporal (frequency) aspects and magnitude (severity). We focused on fire as it is a natural phenomenon that drives ecosystem change and has significant economic, ecological and social impacts of particular concern in vulnerable ecosystems. Using the K-means clustering technique, we identified four distinct fire regimes in the study region: High (H), Moderately High (MH), Moderately Low (ML) and Low (L). On the one hand, the Dry Chaco predominantly featured Low and Moderately High regimes, characterized by a low fire frequency due to arid conditions. On the other hand, the Humid Chaco was particularly affected by agricultural burning, driven by extensive livestock activity and higher biomass productivity. Finally, in the Pantanal, the variations in fire intensity were influenced by flood pulses and rainfall patterns. Our findings highlight the distinct fire regimes across the Paraguayan Chaco and detail the differences in the regimes. The study's findings are valuable for developing efficient management strategies that account for fire behaviour during agricultural burning in this poorly studied region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest fire is one of the dominant disturbances in the forests of Heilongjiang Province, China, and is one of the most rapid response predictors that indicate the impact of climate change on forests. This study calculated the Canadian FWI (Fire Weather Index) and its components from meteorological record over past years, and a linear model was built from the monthly mean FWI and monthly fire numbers. The significance test showed that fire numbers and FWI had a very pronounced correlation, and monthly mean FWI was suitable for predicting the monthly fire numbers in this region. Then FWI and its components were calculated from the SRES (IPCC Special Report on Emission Scenarios) A2 and B2 climatic scenarios, and the linear model was rebuilt to be suitable for the climatic scenarios. The results indicated that fire numbers would increase by 2.98–129.97% and −2.86–103.30% in the A2 and B2 climatic scenarios during 2020–2090, respectively. The monthly variation tendency of the FWI components is similar in the A2 and B2 climatic scenarios. The increasing fire risk is uneven across months in these two climatic scenarios. The monthly analysis showed that the FFMC (Fine Fuel Moisture Code) would increase dramatically in summer, and the decreasing precipitation in summer would contribute greatly to this tendency. The FWI would increase rapidly from the spring fire season to the autumn fire season, and the FWI would have the most rapid increase in speed in the spring fire season. DMC (Duff Moisture Code) and DC (Drought Code) have relatively balanced rates of increasing from spring to autumn. The change in the FWI in this region is uneven in space as well. In early 21st century, the FWI of the north of Heilongjiang Province would increase more rapidly than the south, whereas the FWI of the middle and south of Heilongjiang Province would gradually catch up with the increasing speed of the north from the middle of 21st century. The changes in the FWI across seasons and space would influence the fire management policy in this region, and the increasing fire numbers and variations in the FWI scross season and space suggest that suitable development of the management of fire sources and forest fuel should be conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding current fire dynamics in the Amazon is vital for designing effective fire management strategies and setting a baseline for climate change projections. This study aimed to analyze recent fire probabilities and project future "fire niches" under global warming scenarios across the Legal Amazon, a scale chosen for its relevance in social and economic planning. Utilizing the maximum entropy method, this study combined a complex set of predictors with fire occurrences detected during 1985–2022. It allowed for the estimation of current fire patterns and projecting changes for the near future (2020–2040) under two contrasting socioeconomic pathways. The results showed strong model performance, with AUC values consistently above 0.85. Key predictors included "Distance to Farming" (53.4%), "Distance to Non-Vegetated Areas" (11.2%), and "Temperature Seasonality" (9.3%), revealing significant influences from human activities alongside climatic predictors. The baseline model indicated that 26.5% of the Amazon has "moderate" to "very high" fire propensity, especially in the southern and southeastern regions, notably the "Arc of Deforestation". Future projections suggest that fire-prone areas may expand, particularly in the southern border regions and near the Amazon riverbanks. The findings underscore the importance of incorporating both ecological and human factors into fire management strategies to effectively address future risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of Industry 4.0 has integrated various innovations into fire safety management, thus changing the mode of identifying, assessing, and controlling fire risks. This review aims at how emerging technologies like IoT, AI, cloud technology, and BIM are making changes to fire safety in structural structures. With IoT-enabled sensors, data, and analytics coupled with predictive algorithms for real-time scenarios, fire safety systems have become dynamic systems where early detection, quick response, and risk management can be achieved. In addition, cloud web-based solutions improve the storage of information while providing the predictive aspect for certainty of safety measures. This paper also largely focuses on such activities through the likes of ISO/IEC 30141 and IEEE 802.15.4, thus making a critical role in maintaining effective connectivity between IoT devices, which is necessary for the effective performance of fire safety systems. Furthermore, the implementation issues, including the high costs, the difficulty in scaling up the projects, and the cybersecurity concerns, are considered and compared to the possible solutions, which include upgrading in stages and the possibility of subsidies from the government. The review also points out areas for further study, such as the creation of small cell networks with lower latency, the use of AI to carry out the maintenance of IoTs, and the enhancement of protection mechanisms of systems that are based on the IoTs. In general, this paper highlights the vast possibilities offered by Industry 4.0 technologies to support organizational fire safety management or decrease fire fatalities and improve built environment fire safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: How far in space and time should conservation burns be conducted to provide most benefit to beetles favoured by forest fires? We systematically sampled forest reserves with different fire history and found that most pyrophilic beetles were found when fires in the vicinity of the reserves were close and quite recent. The number and area of forest fires in northern Europe have been dramatically reduced during the past century, and several fire-favoured species are now threatened. To promote the recovery of these species, prescribed burning is often used as a conservation measure, and to optimise the use of these conservation burns, knowledge is needed on suitable fire frequency, size and placement in the landscape. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of recent fire history (12 yrs) on beetles sampled using smoke attraction traps at 21 forest sites in a 10,000 km2 region. We analysed the odds of finding a fire-favoured beetle species or individual among the beetles in each trap using a new spatiotemporal connectivity measure and compared the results to non-fire-favoured and saproxylic species. For fire-favoured beetles, both the number of species and individuals significantly increased with connectivity to previous fires, while the other two groups did not. The spatiotemporal connectivity that best explained the patterns suggests that fire-favoured beetles mainly respond to fires within a 2 km range up to 2–3 years after the fire. Hence, to preserve fire-favoured insects, prescribed fires must be close in space and time to other fires—whether prescribed or natural. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many plants rely on soil seedbanks to persist in fire‐prone ecosystems. However, knowledge of plant responses to fire is largely based on above‐ground dynamics. Quantifying how fire influences the seedbank of a diverse range of species will improve fire management.Here, we aim to understand how the timing of fires influences species occurrence in the soil seedbank, and how this relates to species traits, in a Mediterranean‐type ecosystem. We sampled the soil seedbank across 57 sites that represent a range of fire frequencies (1–9 fires in 81 years) and time since fire (1–81 years). Through a 15‐month germination experiment, we identified 39,701 germinates from 245 plant species. Using nonlinear models, we quantified the responses of 75 species' soil seedbanks to fire history and compared these to above‐ground responses.Fire influenced species' soil seedbanks according to seed longevity and species' life‐history traits. We observed a response of 15 species' seedbanks to time since fire: All were species with long‐lived seed, including eight annuals, five resprouters and an obligate seeder. Similarly, we observed a response of 17 species' seedbanks to fire frequency, 16 of which had long‐lived seed. Extensive periods without fire (>40 years) increase seedbank availability for annuals that form a long‐lived seedbank, and frequent fire (every ≤15 years) depletes it. We did not detect a consistent influence of fire on species from several other functional types. Many (53%) species found in the soil seedbank were not found in the above‐ground vegetation, and seven of the 22 modelled displayed an above‐ground influence of fire.Synthesis and applications: Fire frequency influences the probability of species occurrence in the soil seedbank. Frequent fire depletes seed availability of species that depend on long‐lived soil seedbanks for persistence. Yet, other species, including perennials with short‐lived seed storage, appear to be resilient to the frequency of fires experienced to date. We suggest fire management should aim to generate variation in fire frequencies within the landscape, including areas of low fire frequency, tailored to maintain rich plant diversity within the soil seedbank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Living with wildfires in an era of climate change requires adaptation and weaving together many forms of knowledge. Empirical evidence of knowledge co-production in wildfire management is lacking in Mediterranean European areas. We explored how local ecological knowledge can be leveraged to reduce wildfire risk through an adaptation pathways process in the Montseny massif and wider Tordera River watershed of Catalonia, Spain: an area stewarded through forestry and agriculture, tourism, nature conservation, and fire management. We combined different methods (e.g., a timeline and Three Horizons framework) throughout three workshops with agents of change to co-create adaptation pathways to reduce wildfire risk, integrating a historical perspective of the landscape while envisioning desirable futures. Our results showed that local ecological knowledge and other soft adaptation strategies contribute to innovative sustainable development initiatives that can also mitigate wildfire risk. The adaptation pathways approach holds much potential to inform local policies and support wildfire-based community initiatives in diverse contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire is a common and frequent disturbance in Mediterranean ecosystems, affecting the diversity and dynamics of native bee communities by modifying the distribution and availability of the resources that bees require to forage and nest. Previous studies have found changes in bee diversity depending on the time since the last fire, with increases in species diversity in the early stages postburn.Using a chronosequence of plots with different times since the last fire in the Mediterranean‐climate chaparral of Baja California, Mexico, we estimated changes in overall abundance, richness, diversity and species composition of the native bee community.Bee abundance and richness were higher at recently burned plots and gradually decreased, but Hill–Shannon and Hill–Simpson diversities did not change over the chronosequences. Nearby plots (in the same locality) of different stages were more similar in composition than distant plots (in different localities) of a similar stage, suggesting a spatial correlation. Plant species richness increased after fires. Bare soil was also greater on recently burned patches and may facilitate nesting resources. The number of bees was positively correlated to plant richness.Our results highlight the importance of fire as a natural disturbance structuring the bee community in the Mediterranean chaparral of Baja California.Furthermore, our results are relevant for future conservation plans since fire management (i.e., prescribed fires) could improve conditions for sustaining greater bee richness and abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire is a powerful tool for conservation management at a landscape scale, but a rigorous evidence base is often lacking for understanding its impacts on biodiversity in different biomes. Fire‐induced changes to habitat openness have been identified as an underlying driver of responses of faunal communities, including for ants. However, most studies of the impacts of fire on ant communities consider only epigeic (foraging on the soil surface) species, which may not reflect the responses of species inhabiting other vertical strata. Here, we examine how the responses of ant communities vary among vertical strata in a highly fire‐prone biome. We use a long‐term field experiment to quantify the effects of fire on the abundance, richness, and composition of ant assemblages of four vertical strata (subterranean, leaf litter, epigeic, and arboreal) in an Australian tropical savanna. We first document the extent to which each stratum harbors distinct assemblages. We then assess how the assemblage of each stratum responds to three fire‐related predictors: fire frequency, fire activity, and vegetation cover. Each stratum harbored a distinct ant assemblage and showed different responses to fire. Leaf litter and epigeic ants were most sensitive to fire because it directly affects their microhabitats, but they showed contrasting negative and positive responses, respectively. Subterranean ants were the least sensitive because of the insulating effects of soil. Our results show that co‐occurring species of the same taxonomic group differ in the strength and direction of their response to fire depending on the stratum they inhabit. As such, effective fire management for biodiversity conservation should consider species in all vertical strata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising global fire activity is increasing the prevalence of repeated short‐interval burning (reburning) in forests worldwide. In forests that historically experienced frequent‐fire regimes, high‐severity fire exacerbates the severity of subsequent fires by increasing prevalence of shrubs and/or by creating drier understory conditions. Low‐ to moderate‐severity fire, in contrast, can moderate future fire behavior by reducing fuel loads. The extent to which previous fires moderate future fire severity will powerfully affect fire‐prone forest ecosystem trajectories over the next century. Further, knowing where and when a wildfire may act as a landscape‐scale fuel treatment can help direct pre‐ and post‐fire management efforts. We leverage satellite imagery and fire progression mapping to model reburn dynamics within forests that initially burned at low/moderate severity in 726 unique fire pair events over a 36‐year period across four large fire‐prone Western US ecoregions. We ask (1) how strong are the moderating effects of low‐ to moderate‐severity fire on future fire severity, (2) how long do moderating effects last, and (3) how does the time between fires (a proxy for fuel accumulation) interact with initial fire severity, day‐of‐burning weather conditions, and climate to influence reburn severity. Short‐interval reburns primarily occurred in dry‐ and moist‐mixed conifer forests with historically frequent‐fire regimes. Previous fire moderated reburn severity in all ecoregions with the strongest effects occurring in the California Coast and Western Mountains and the average duration of moderating effects ranging from 13 years in the Western Mountains to >36 years in the California Coast. The strength and duration of moderating effects depended on climate and initial fire severity in some regions, reflecting differences in post‐fire fuel accumulation. In the California Coast, moderating effects lasted longer in cooler and wetter forests. In the Western Mountains, moderating effects were stronger and longer lasting in forests that initially burned at higher severity. Moderating effects were largely robust to fire weather, suggesting that previous fire can mediate future fire severity even under extreme conditions. Our findings demonstrate that low‐ to moderate‐severity fire buffers future fire severity in historically frequent‐fire forests, underlining the importance of wildfire as a restoration tool for adapting to global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]