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Exploring Drivers of Wildfires in Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Rasheed Akinleye Hammed

    (Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, University of Eastern Finland, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
    Agriculture, Forestry and Ecosystem Services (AFE) Group, Biodiversity and Natural Resources (BNR) Program, International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria)

  • Gbenga Lawrence Alawode

    (Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, University of Eastern Finland, 80101 Joensuu, Finland
    Agriculture, Forestry and Ecosystem Services (AFE) Group, Biodiversity and Natural Resources (BNR) Program, International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria)

  • Laura E. Montoya

    (Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, Mexico City 04510, Mexico)

  • Andrey Krasovskiy

    (Agriculture, Forestry and Ecosystem Services (AFE) Group, Biodiversity and Natural Resources (BNR) Program, International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria)

  • Florian Kraxner

    (Agriculture, Forestry and Ecosystem Services (AFE) Group, Biodiversity and Natural Resources (BNR) Program, International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria)

Abstract

Wildfires play a dual role in ecosystems by providing ecological benefits while posing catastrophic events; they also inflict non-catastrophic damage and yield long-term effects on biodiversity, soil quality, and air quality, among other factors, including public health. This study analysed the key determinants of wildland fires in Spain using openly available spatial data from 2008 to 2021, including fire perimeters, bioclimatic variables, topography, and socioeconomic datasets, at a resolution of 1 km 2 . Our methodology combined principal component analysis (PCA), linear regression analysis, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Our findings show that scrub/herbaceous vegetation (average 63 ± 1.45% SE) and forests (average 19 ± 0.76% SE) have been highly susceptible to wildfires. The population density exhibited a robust positive correlation with wildfire frequency (R 2 = 0.88, p < 0.0001). Although the study provides insights into some fire-related climatic drivers over Spain, it includes only temperature- and precipitation-based variables and does not explicitly consider fuel dynamics. Therefore, a more advanced methodology should be applied in the future to understand the local specifics of regional wildfire dynamics. Our study identified that scrub/herbaceous areas and forests near densely populated regions should be prioritised for wildfire management in Spain, particularly under changing climate conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Rasheed Akinleye Hammed & Gbenga Lawrence Alawode & Laura E. Montoya & Andrey Krasovskiy & Florian Kraxner, 2024. "Exploring Drivers of Wildfires in Spain," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-24, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:6:p:762-:d:1404067
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Marcos Rodrigues & Adrián Jiménez & Juan de la Riva, 2016. "Analysis of recent spatial–temporal evolution of human driving factors of wildfires in Spain," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 84(3), pages 2049-2070, December.
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