The wildland – urban interface in Europe: Spatial patterns and associations with socioeconomic and demographic variables

Landscape and Urban Planning, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 235, P. 104759 - 104759

Published: March 28, 2023

The wildland – urban interface (WUI) is the zone where human settlements are in or near areas of fire-prone vegetation. WUI widespread and expanding, with detrimental consequences to lives, property, neighboring ecosystems. While has been mapped many regions, Europe does not have a high resolution map date. Moreover, while most research focused on quantifying spatial temporal patterns, little known about relationship between socioeconomic conditions that drive its formation. Here, we present first high-resolution European provide macro-scale analysis some potential drivers. We found covers 7.4 % Europe, but extent varies considerably both across within countries, sub-national cover varying from nearly zero almost 90 %. significantly related variables such as GDP per capita, proportion population above 65 years old, density, road protected areas, these effects complex interactive. This suggests drivers likely differ hints importance top-down local processes driving WUI. Our new can facilitate well regional-scale wildfire risk ecological assessments inform policy management decisions aimed at reducing outcomes Europe.

Language: Английский

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Effects of fire recurrence and severity on Mediterranean vegetation dynamics: Implications for structure and composition in southern Spain

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 961, P. 178392 - 178392

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Most Mediterranean ecosystems have been profoundly shaped by wildfires, driving the evolution of plant species. Through photo interpretation and field inventories, this research assessed vegetation dynamics from 1984 to 2021, examining how fire severity recurrence, key regime variables, influenced changes in structure woody species diversity. Using two burn scars (1988 2006), we identified four scenarios dominated Pinus pinea tree species: control (unburned), areas burned once (either 1988 or twice (in both 2006). Areas affected high-severity fires experienced most pronounced expansion dense shrubland. However, when was moderate, wildfires led a significant decline understory cover open forests. regeneration recurrence. It absent with at least one but showed an increased compared moderate without Wildfires biodiversity, particularly high severity. The Sørensen Jaccard indices highest diversity recovery forest after single moderate-severity 1988. This study offers novel approach considering recurrence severity, along medium-term timeframe, contrast studies focusing on short-term fires. Monitoring spatio-temporal is crucial for guiding ecological restoration wildfire prevention strategies.

Language: Английский

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Non-parametric spatiotemporal trends in fire: An approach to identify fire regimes variations and predict seasonal effects of fire in Iran

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 20(4), P. e0319993 - e0319993

Published: April 4, 2025

Analyzing wildfire complexity provides valuable insights into fire regimes and occurrence patterns within landscapes, enabling targeted land management efforts for sensitive vulnerable areas. Fire density is a key component of regimes. In recent years, Iran has experienced significant changes in activity. This study aims to assess trends the probability during summer autumn using active data. Seasonal point (per km 2 ) from 2001 2023 was calculated kernel function. The Mann-Kendall (MK) test identified areas with (at 90% confidence level) prediction analysis. Environmental variables points were entered MaxEnt model predict risk autumn. included average temperature, human modification terrestrial systems, annual precipitation, precipitation driest month, elevation, use/land cover (LULC), surface temperature (LST), soil organic carbon (SOC), wind exposure index (WEI). Spatial variations analyzed gap analysis Kappa index. Influence zone zones impacted by increasing landscape. Results showed that covered 326,739.56 102,668.85 There minimal overlap between decreasing across seasons, indicating wildfires disproportionately affect natural agricultural Iran. 15 fire-prone 3 autumn, portion located Zagros Mountain forest steppes. model, based on area under curve (AUC) metric, successfully high-risk both seasons. Jackknife indicated SOC crucial indicators activities available fuel Predictions diverging summer, high all regions except deserts Hyrcanian forests, while mixed forests are also classified as zones. These findings can help managers identify influence understand uses vegetation types associated wildfires, more informed effective decisions spatial extent distribution trends.

Language: Английский

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Climate, vegetation, people: disentangling the controls of fire at different timescales

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1924)

Published: April 1, 2025

Human activities have a major impact on fire regimes. that cause landscape fragmentation, such as creating roads and other infrastructure or converting areas to agriculture, tend restrict, rather than promote, fire. The human influence is complex, however, the of fragmentation regime depends climate vegetation conditions. Climate-induced changes in fuel loads also affect natural ways independent influence. Disentangling controls regimes challenging because multiple interactions between climate, vegetation, people fire, different timescales over which they operate. We explore these relationships, drawing statistical modelling analyses palaeoenvironmental, historical recent observations at regional global scales. show how relationships changed through time vary spatially function environmental biotic gradients. Specifically, we climate-driven been most important drivers changing least until Industrial Revolution. Statistical no discernible hunter–gatherer communities, even time-transgressive introduction agriculture during Neolithic had scale. post-industrial expansion was an fires, but since late 19th century, overwhelming humans has reduce progressive influencing ignitions. Model projections suggest reduction will be outweighed by climatically driven increases end 21st century. This article part theme issue ‘Novel under influences: impacts, ecosystem responses feedbacks’.

Language: Английский

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Remains of traditional fire use in Portugal: A historical analysis

Trees Forests and People, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 14, P. 100458 - 100458

Published: Nov. 8, 2023

Traditional, rural, native, or indigenous fire has coexisted with lightning-caused since the origin of Humanity. In Portugal, several uses played an essential role in supporting communities from settlement Portuguese territory within complex agrosilvo-pastoral systems. Previous studies approached traditional knowledge different perspectives, but none comprehensively described concept. Resorting to historical documentary sources, this paper identifies and describes practices involving rural foundation Portugal until end 19th century. The approach showed a general abandonment progressive loss many those at It led breakdown conventional system disarticulation interdependence Human Nature processes. Due legal conditionings prohibitions, current are only remains past. As result, academia is promote revive country.

Language: Английский

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Assessing fire hazard using remote sensing and fire behaviour models in the telagh region of Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria

International Journal of Environmental Studies, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 18

Published: March 13, 2025

Language: Английский

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Bridging wine and forestry sectors to reduce wildfires: wine actors’ perceptions, their role in risk reduction and externality labelling

Trees Forests and People, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 100835 - 100835

Published: March 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Will fire-smart landscape management buffer the effects of climate and land-use changes on fire regimes?

Ecological Processes, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 13(1)

Published: Aug. 1, 2024

Abstract Background Long-term farmland abandonment has increased fuel build-up in many Euro-Mediterranean mountainous regions. The high hazard these landscapes, combined with ongoing climate change, is increasing the frequency of extreme wildfires, thus altering contemporary fire regimes. Mitigating loss landscape’s capacity to regulate large and intense fires crucial prevent future harmful effects fires. As such, effective strategies manage fire-prone landscapes are needed. Yet, further understanding their performance under global change scenarios required. This study assessed fire-smart management on landscape dynamics, regulation (FRC), regime a Mediterranean Portugal (30,650 ha) undergoing long-term land scenarios. For that, we applied LANDIS-II model (RCP 4.5 8.5) (2020–2050) according three focused prevention compared business-as-usual (BAU) strategy based suppression. Results Future activity dynamics resulted changes that fostered heterogeneity fragmentation favoured fire-adapted forests agroforestry systems while decreasing dominance shrublands croplands. FRC decreased over time, particularly RCP 8.5 BAU strategy. In turn, better prevented than strategy, but effectiveness 8.5. burned area frequency, which predicts shift from regimes more markedly Conclusions Fire-smart outperformed averting current intensification. Merging forest- silvopasture-based most promising approach taming activity. Our underlines planning policies mountain must integrate decrease buffer impact

Language: Английский

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Promoting Low-Risk Fire Regimes: An Agent-Based Model to Explore Wildfire Mitigation Policy Options

Fire, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 6(3), P. 102 - 102

Published: March 6, 2023

Landscape patterns and composition were identified as key drivers of fire risk regimes. However, few studies have focused on effective policymaking aimed at encouraging landowners to diversify the landscape make it more fire-resilient. We propose a new framework support design wildfire mitigation policies promoting low-risk regimes based land use/land cover choices by landowners. Using parishes fire-prone region in central Portugal analysis units, two-step modelling approach is proposed, coupling an agent-based model that simulates choice logistic predicts from set biophysical variables reported important regime literature. The cost-effectiveness different policy options parish level assessed. Our results are line with those previous defending importance heterogeneity reducing forest concentration increasing agricultural or shrubland areas measure reduce wildfire. Results also suggest usefulness simulation tool, allowing policymakers investigate how annual payments supporting areas, depending mix, can be very cost-effective removing substantial number high-risk

Language: Английский

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Revisiting wildfire resilience from a territorial perspective: insights from Mediterranean Spain

Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 30

Published: May 13, 2024

Wildfires are increasingly recognized as a complex socioecological phenomenon, yet their linkages with territorial development not clearly spelled out. This article seeks to unveil the sociopolitical and sociospatial ramifications of wildfires by framing them issue, understanding fire-prone territories dynamic entities that emerge in essentially political processes, defined relations unfold across different spatial temporal scales. Against this backdrop, building resilience is considered territorially embedded continuous process, driven mechanisms operating "behind flames." By operationalizing framework region Valencia (Spain), it shown how social innovation can help overcome lock-ins enhance resilience. research showcases importance trusting, collaborative culture sectors actors, brings forefront considering rural–urban relationships for reducing inequalities more resilient futures Mediterranean, territories.

Language: Английский

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