Characteristics of the spatial and temporal distribution of fire regime in ONE OF the most fire prone Region Of The Russian Far East

Abstract

Wildfires affect the structure and distribution of vegetation all over the globe and have their own specifics in different regions. In this study, we considered the spatial and temporal distribution of fires in the Jewish Autonomous Region (JAR), which is the most fire-prone area of the Russian Far East. Using data from the Department of Natural Resources of the Jewish Autonomous Region, fires and burned areas for more than 40 years were analyzed. The average annual number of fires is near 100, and the average area of one fire is 134 hectares, which is significantly higher compared to other regions of Russia. The largest number of fires and fires with the greatest extent took place in 1975. The intra-annual distribution of fires is bimodal and depends on the climate characteristics of the region. Mapping of burning areas showed that most of the fires occurred near settlements and along roads. The main centers of fire ignition were areas with a large number of small fires (no more than 5 hectares), located within several types of locations: (1) asphalt and dirt roads, railroads and river valleys near settlements; (2) areas of former logging that have several large burned spots of more than 300 hectares; (3) plains with a high concentration of fires over a large region; and (4) small burned spots on the mountain slopes, along the field roads and small rivers. Regions with different degree of fire exposure were identified. Sedge-reed mixed grassy meadows and Agricultural land with shaded meadows are the plant formations most prone to wildfires. At the same time, more fires were detected in Cedar-deciduous forests as well as Oak and black birch forests. The findings are useful for environmental protection agencies in planning fire management strategies, optimizing the fire services and firefighting actions.