Chemical Characteristics of Wildfire Ash Across the Globe and Their Environmental and Socio-Economic Implications

Sánchez-García, Carmen; Santín, Cristina; Neris, Jonay; Sigmund, Gabriel; Otero, Xosé Luís; J., Manley; González‐Rodríguez, Gil; Belcher, Claire M.; Cerda, Artemi; Marcotte, Abbey L.; Murphy, Sheila F.; Rhoades, Charles; Sheridan, Gary; Strydom, Tercia; Robichaud, Peter R.; Doerr, Stefan H.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.4355582

Cited by 4 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…The lack of statistical difference between the concentrations of these analytes by combustion completeness is consistent with the literature, where they are generally reported to behave similarly (Balfour & Woods, 2013; Miotliński et al., 2023; Pereira et al., 2012; Úbeda et al., 2009), although Sánchez‐García et al. (2023) reported that Ca concentrations were higher in ash leachates produced from severe burning, and that Mg concentrations did not vary with burn severity. The charge imbalances of the leachates also support the hypothesis that black ashes are less‐combusted than white ashes.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…However, Fe and Mn are exceptions; our results show that these elements were both lower in concentration and outside the range of data presented by Sánchez‐García et al. (2023).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 51%

“…Sánchez‐García et al. (2023) found that ashes from different sites clustered differently, although they attributed differences between the clusters to delays in sampling post‐fire (with samples being rained on, or loss of the finer particles by wind) and to legacy contamination from industrial activity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In experimental settings, hotter combustion temperatures have been shown to result in Ca/Mg ratios in ash leachates of <1 (Marion et al., 1991; Úbeda et al., 2009). However, in ashes from both experimental studies and wildfires with known burn temperature or severity (Balfour & Woods, 2013; Miotliński et al., 2023; Pereira et al., 2012; Sánchez‐García et al., 2023; Santín et al., 2015; Úbeda et al., 2009), the response of both Ca and Mg to burn severity is variable, and none of the published concentrations support the hypothesis that this ratio indicates burn severity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sánchez‐García et al. (2023) reported that the large variance in their global wildfire ash concentration data set was due to the ecosystem, burn severity, land use history (resulting in legacy contamination) and in situ leaching by rainfall prior to sample collection. In experimental settings, hotter combustion temperatures have been shown to result in Ca/Mg ratios in ash leachates of <1 (Marion et al., 1991; Úbeda et al., 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Combustion Completeness and Sample Location Determine Wildfire Ash Leachate Chemistry

Campbell,

Treble,

McDonough

et al. 2024

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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Understanding past fire regimes and how they vary with climate, human activity, and vegetation patterns is fundamental to the mitigation and management of changing fire regimes as anthropogenic climate change progresses. Ash‐derived trace elements and pyrogenic biomarkers from speleothems have recently been shown to record past fire activity in speleothems from both Australia and North America. This calls for an empirical study of ash geochemistry to aid the interpretation of speleothem palaeofire proxy records. Here we present analyses of leached ashes collected following fires in southwest and southeast Australia. We include a suite of inorganic elemental data from the water‐soluble fraction of ash as well as a selection of organic analytes (pyrogenic lipid biomarkers). We also present elemental data from leachates of soils collected from sites in southwest Australia. We demonstrate that the water‐soluble fraction of ash differs from the water‐soluble fraction of soils, with trace and minor element concentrations in ash leachates varying with combustion completeness (burn severity) and sample location. Changes in some lipid biomarker concentrations extracted from ashes may reflect burn severity. Our results contribute to building a process‐based understanding of how speleothem geochemistry may record fire frequency and severity, and suggest that more research is needed to understand the transport pathways for the inclusion of pyrogenic biomarkers in speleothems. Our results also demonstrate that potential contaminant loads from ashes are much higher than from soils, with implications for the management of karst catchments, which are a critical water resource.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…However, Fe and Mn are exceptions; our results show that these elements were both lower in concentration and outside the range of data presented by Sánchez‐García et al. (2023).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 51%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Combustion Completeness and Sample Location Determine Wildfire Ash Leachate Chemistry

Campbell,

Treble,

McDonough

et al. 2024

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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Elemental composition of post-wildfire biomass ashes and partly burned woody species in Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic

Asare,

Midula,

Oravová

et al. 2024

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Enhanced Hydrologic Connectivity and Solute Dynamics Following Wildfire and Drought in a Contaminated Temperate Peatland Catchment

Marcotte,

Limpens,

Nunes

et al. 2024

Water Resources Research

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Intact peatlands provide hydrological ecosystem services, such as regulating water regimes and immobilizing pollutants within catchments. Climate change impacts including drought and wildfire may impair their functioning, potentially impacting ecosystem service delivery. Here we investigate stream water quality changes following the combined impacts of a summer drought and wildfire in a peat‐dominated catchment in the UK during 2018. The study catchment stores legacy pollutants (i.e., metals) due to past industrial activity, thus making it particularly susceptible to pollutant release during wildfires. We quantified changes in water chemistry during five storm events over a 9‐month period following the wildfire. Concentration‐discharge (C‐Q) relationships for nine solutes were analyzed to explore changes in activation and connectivity of solute source zones. Hysteresis and flushing indices of C‐Q responses further described solute dynamics during storm events. We found that most nutrient and base cation concentrations in the stream discharge were highest in the immediate post‐fire storm events and decreased during subsequent autumn and spring storms. Metal concentrations increased during autumn and spring storms, indicating delayed mobilization from within‐peat or distal headwater sources. Our findings suggest that seasonal re‐wetting and hydrologic connectivity following disturbance influenced solute source zone activation and transport in the study catchment. Water quality responses associated with wildfire and drought were primarily observed in the months following the wildfire, suggesting mobilization of pollutants peaks shortly after fire. Our results contribute to a critical understanding of the future of water quality risks in temperate peatland catchments subject to disturbances exacerbated by climate change.

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Chemical Characteristics of Wildfire Ash Across the Globe and Their Environmental and Socio-Economic Implications

Cited by 4 publications

References 78 publications

Combustion Completeness and Sample Location Determine Wildfire Ash Leachate Chemistry

Combustion Completeness and Sample Location Determine Wildfire Ash Leachate Chemistry

Elemental composition of post-wildfire biomass ashes and partly burned woody species in Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic

Enhanced Hydrologic Connectivity and Solute Dynamics Following Wildfire and Drought in a Contaminated Temperate Peatland Catchment

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