Study on Forest Fire Risk Analysis Based on Drought Scenarios

Abstract

The number of forest fires is increasing worldwide owing to climate change. Forest fires linked to drought are becoming more frequent and severe than ever before. This causes massive damage. However, instead of quantification, studies have been conducted on the relationship between drought and forest fires. Therefore, this study quantitatively analyzed the increase in forest fire risk based on a drought scenario. We defined a 30-year frequency drought scenario for the Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, where the most forest fire damage occurred in 2022, and analyzed the risk of forest fires by calculating the Fire Weather Index (FWI) used in the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS). The precipitation in the drought scenario was 581 mm/year that was equivalent to 52% of the average annual precipitation. We noted that the drought Fire Weather Index (DFWI) was approximately 1.6 times greater than the average Fire Weather Index (AFWI). We quantitatively confirmed the extent to which the risk of forest fire increased under the influence of drought. Therefore, measures should be established not only for drought but also for forest fires when a drought occurs.