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Analysis of Trends in the Distance of Wildfires from Built-Up Areas in Spain and California (USA): 2007–2015

Authors :
Manuel Marey-Perez
Óscar López-Álvarez
Luis Franco-Vázquez
Source :
Forests, Vol 15, Iss 5, p 788 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

Wildfires present a significant risk to societies globally due to population growth, concentrated activities, climate change, and extreme environmental conditions. To establish effective fire suppression and management policies, it is crucial to determine whether the distance between ignition points and urban areas is increasing or decreasing. This study analyzes 101,597 fires in Spain and California between 2007 and 2015, where ignition points and all built-up areas were precisely geolocated in 2014. The study employs the Mann–Kendall test to determine trends and analyze the relative distance of wildfires to human buildings over time. The results indicate that wildfires are becoming statistically significantly closer in several areas. It is also observed that the majority of wildfires are moving away from buildings, although this is not a significant finding. These results suggest the possibility of further research into the reasons behind these observations and possible future developments and their consequences.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
19994907
Volume :
15
Issue :
5
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Forests
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.18fdc60fc43c4665983757fc44d836d4
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050788