A comprehensive spatial assessment of forest fire risk in Huichuan District, China

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to characterize spatial risks of forest fires in Huichuan District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, China. The National Forest and Grassland Fire Risk Census Secondary Platform provided 16 indicators of forest fire risk. Estimates of forest fire risk were made using surveys of wild combustible material, data sharing, mathematical statistics, and literature analysis. Results: The following results were obtained: (1) Of the 21,210 small classes of forest fire identified for Huichuan District, 9,263 (43.67%), 11,941 (56.3%), and 6 were high, medium-high, and medium low risk, respectively. (2) Of the 1,988 standardized grids: 68, 1,523, 208, 186, and 3 showed high, medium-high, medium-low, low, and no risks, respectively; 64.18% showed medium-high to high risks. (3) Township-level risk assessment divided towns into three risk categories: low, medium-low, and medium-high, to which were assigned three, two, and nine township-level assessment units, representing 0.91%, 5.49%, and 93.67% of the total area, respectively. Among the township evaluation units, two, nine, and three showed medium-low, medium-high risk, and low risks, respectively. Conclusions: Gaoqiao Street, Donggongsi Street, and Dalian Road have medium-low risk grades; the other nine township evaluation units have medium-high risk categories. Ximalu Street, Shanghai Road, and Gaoqiao Street have low-risk grades. Thus, in order to achieve scientific and efficient fire prevention, the handling of combustible materials, the modification of the species composition of trees, and the enhancement of monitoring and warning sites can be reinforced.