Climate change and forest fires

Flannigan, Mike D.; Stocks, B. J.; Wotton, B. M.

doi:10.1016/s0048-9697(00)00524-6

Cited by 802 publications

(485 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…In North America, forest fire has been suppressed for Ͼ100 years; however, prescribed burning has recently become a popular counteractive management option (23). Prescribed burning (17,23) and climate change are expected to increase forest fire occurrence (24,25). Our study demonstrates that forest fire and climate change are linked in previously unanticipated ways to factors that control MeHg concentrations in fishes.…”

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confidence: 72%

“…In North America, Hg contamination is already the most frequent reason for fish consumption advisories (45). If climate change and prescribed burning increase forest fires in the future in North America (17,(23)(24)(25), and the average annual area of forest burned continues to increase in Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, Oceania, South America, and some parts of Africa as it did from 1990 to 2000 (49), fish Hg contamination could become more widespread.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Forest fire increases mercury accumulation by fishes via food web restructuring and increased mercury inputs

Kelly

Schindler

Louis

et al. 2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

134

121

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Recent findings indicate that fishes from lakes in partially burned catchments contain greater mercury (Hg) concentrations than fishes from reference catchments. Increased methyl Hg (MeHg) concentrations in fishes can result in serious health problems for consumers. Here we show that a forest fire caused a 5-fold increase in whole-body Hg accumulation by rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and smaller Hg increases in muscle of several fish species in a mountain lake. The enhanced Hg accumulation was caused primarily by increased nutrient concentrations in the lake, which enhanced productivity and restructured the food web through increased piscivory and consumption of Mysis. This restructuring resulted in increases to the trophic positions and Hg concentrations of fishes. Forest fire also caused a large short-term release of total Hg (THg) and MeHg to streams and the lake. This release initiated a small pulse of MeHg in invertebrates that contributed to enhanced Hg accumulation by fishes. Climate change and prescribed burning to compensate for past fire suppression are predicted to increase future forest fire occurrence in North America, and increased Hg accumulation by fishes may be an unexpected consequence.productivity ͉ stable isotopes ͉ methyl mercury ͉ food chain length ͉ climate change

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mentioning

confidence: 72%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forest fire increases mercury accumulation by fishes via food web restructuring and increased mercury inputs

Kelly

Schindler

Louis

et al. 2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

134

121

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…This scenario is also shared by the Canary Islands, and in La Palma, the number of fires has increased by 50 % compared with previous decades (Gobierno de Canarias 2011). Predictions about climate warming in the Mediterranean region suggest an increase in air temperature and a reduction in summer rainfall, consequently, forest fire frequency is expected to increase significantly (Stocks et al 1998;Flannigan et al 2000;Gillet et al 2004). Changes in fire regimes have been confirmed as affecting growth and reproductive traits of fire-adapted pine species as P. halepensis (Eugenio et al 2006) and other Mediterranean species not so adapted to fire, such as P. pinea and Pinus sylvestris L. (Pausas 2004).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding long-term post-fire regeneration of a fire-resistant pine species

Méndez

Morales

Nascimento

et al. 2015

Annals of Forest Science

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“…Additionally, climate change and rural land abandonment are influencing fire occurrence and extreme fire behavior. Climate change is providing extreme weather conditions in terms of drought and temperature (CARDIL et al, 2013;FLANNIGAN et al, 2000) and rural land abandonment provides high fuel loads and fuel complex continuities across the landscape, increasing the probability of developing large wildland fires (VEGA-GARCÍA AND CHUVIECO, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fatalities in Wildland Fires From 1945 to 2015 in Sardinia (Italy)

Cardíl

Delogu

Molina-Terrén

2017

CERNE

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ABSTRACT:The worst outcome of wildland fires is the loss of human lives, a recurrent phenomenon over the last few decades in Sardinia, Europe and worldwide. This work analyzes all recorded fatalities in wildland fires in Sardinia from 1945 to 2015 and trends in terms of annual number of fatalities. This time period was split due to legal and socioeconomic changes periods (1945-1975; 1976-2000; 2001-2015). We classified accident types during wildland fires to study the most frequent causes of fatalities and how they were related 1) to involved human groups (professional firefighters, auxiliary firefighters, and civilians, 2) to fire size and 3) to extreme weather conditions. We observed that the annual number of victims was higher in the 1981-1999 period than in other periods with 2.6 fatalities per year. Entrapment is the most frequent cause of death within the fire professional firefighters (75.6 %). The rate of fatalities seemed to be higher in the 1981-1999 period for "civilians" and lower for "professional firefighters". We detected that the annual number of "civilian" fatalities is higher in the 1981-1999 period with 1.6 fatalities per year. The calculated rate for "army forces & volunteer firefighters" group was in the middle ground. Entrapment is the most frequent cause of death with a percentage of 75.6 %. Fire size is a key factor in the fatality occurrence because over 80 % of deaths in wildland fires (without considering aerial accidents) happened in fires larger than 100 ha. Days with extreme weather conditions (high temperature or strong winds) were also instrumental because at least 47% of entrapments occurred in this kind of days. FATALIDADES EM INCÊNDIOS FLORESTAIS DE 1945 A 2015 NA SARDENHA (ITÁLIA)RESUMO: O pior resultado dos incêndios florestais é a perda de vidas humanas, um fenômeno recorrente ao longo das últimas décadas na Sardenha, Europa e em todo o mundo. Este trabalho analisa os registros de fatalidades em incêndios florestais na Sardenha, de 1945 até 2015 e tendências em termos de número anual de mortes. Este período de tempo foi dividido devido a alterações legais e sócioeconômicas (1945-1975; 1976-2000; 2001-2015). Nos classificados os tipos de acidente durante os incêndios florestais para estudar as causas mais frequentes de mortes e como elas se relacionados com 1) os grupos humanos (bombeiros profissionais, bombeiros auxiliares e civis), 2) ao tamanho do fogo e 3) condições meteorológicas extremas. Observamos que o número anual de vítimas foi maior no período de 1981-1999 do que em outros períodos, com 2,6 mortes por ano. Encurralamento pelo fogo é a causa mais frequente de morte de "bombeiros profissionais" (75,6%). A taxa de mortes parecia ser mais elevada no período 1981-1999 para "civis" e menor para "bombeiros profissionais". Detectamos que o número anual de mortes de "civis" foi maior no período de 1981-1999, com 1,6 mortes por ano. A taxa calculada para o grupo "forças do exército e os bombeiros voluntários" foi no meio termo. Tamanho do fogo é um fator fundamental para a...

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Climate change and forest fires

Cited by 802 publications

References 26 publications

Forest fire increases mercury accumulation by fishes via food web restructuring and increased mercury inputs

Forest fire increases mercury accumulation by fishes via food web restructuring and increased mercury inputs

Understanding long-term post-fire regeneration of a fire-resistant pine species

Fatalities in Wildland Fires From 1945 to 2015 in Sardinia (Italy)

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