Spatial distribution and temporal variability of open fire in China
Kunpeng Yi A D , Yulong Bao B and Jiquan Zhang CA Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (RADI), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100101, China.
B College of Geography Science, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot 101022, China.
C College of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China.
D Corresponding author. Email: yikp@radi.ac.cn
International Journal of Wildland Fire 26(2) 122-135 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF15213
Submitted: 26 August 2015 Accepted: 30 November 2016 Published: 18 January 2017
Abstract
This study presents the spatial and temporal patterns of vegetation fires in China based on a combination of national fire records (1950–2010) and satellite fire data (2001–12). This analysis presents the first attempt to understand existing patterns of open fires and their consequences for the whole of China. We analysed inter- and intra-annual fire trends and variations in nine subregions of China as well as associated monthly meteorological data from 130 stations within a 50-year period. During the period 2001–12, an average area of 3.2 × 106 ha was consumed by fire per year in China. The Chinese fire season has two peaks occurring in the spring and autumn. The profiles of the burnt area for each subregion exhibit distinct seasonality. The majority of the vegetation fires occurred in the north-eastern and south-western provinces. We analysed quantitative relationships between climate (temperature and precipitation) and burnt area. The results indicate a synchronous relationship between precipitation variation and burnt area. The data in this paper reveal how climate and human activities interact to create China’s distinctive pyrogeography.
Additional keywords: boreal forest, burnt area, crop residue burning, wildfire.
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