Developing a two-level fire regime zonation system for Canada

Abstract

Fire regime zonation systems are critical tools for research and management activities. In this study, we develop a hierarchical framework that applies both qualitative and quantitative approaches to create a two-level fire regime zonation system for Canada. The finer scale level, Fire Regime Units (FRUs), was created through a stepwise synthesis of fire regime metrics based on 1970–2016 fire records, environmental attributes such as topographic features and vegetation, literature review, and expert advice. Each of these 60 FRUs exhibits an internal homogeneity in fire regime. As non-contiguous units can show similar patterns in fire-related measurements, we performed a clustering analysis on the FRUs to define 15 broad-scale Fire Regime Types (FRTs). Each type is characterized by a unique set of indices related to fire activity, seasonality, and ignition cause. This two-level fire regime zonation system has a large range of applications (e.g., modeling, gradient analysis) and is flexible enough to be updated with new data or when notable shifts in fire dynamics occur.