Other Publications
Findings and Implications from a Coarse-Scale Global Assessment of Recent Selected Mega-Fires
May, 2011. JERRY WILLIAMS, DOROTHY ALBRIGHT, ANJA A. HOFFMANN, ANDREY ERITSOV, PETER F. MOORE, JOSE CARLOS MENDES de MORAIS, MICHAEL LEONARD, JESUS SAN MIGUEL-AYANZ, GAVRIIL XANTHOPOULOS, Ir. PIETER van LIEROP. Paper. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 19 pages
Summary
In many parts of the world, the number of large wildfires has been increasing at an alarming rate. Among them, so-called “mega-fires” have emerged. These extraordinary conflagrations are unprecedented in the modern era for their deep and long-lasting social, economic, and environmental impacts. This paper examines eight mega-fires from around the globe. It attempts to discern patterns in the causal and contributory factors underlying the mega-fire phenomenon.
The cumulative effects of global warming, the vulnerable condition of fire-prone landscapes, and population shifts into and out of wildland settings are changing the calculus of wildfire protection in many countries. As wildfire risks intensify, this paper suggests the importance of more balanced, more comprehensive wildfire protection approaches that better integrate fire-related considerations into natural resource management strategies at the landscape scale. In this respect, mega-fires have important implications for land managers and policy-makers. This paper’s findings provide a basis for more effectively aligning land management policies, plans, and practices across fire-prone landscapes.
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Keywords: e. Deforestation & Degradation Drivers, Other Publications, Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Fire, Greece, Indonesia, Israel, mega fire, Russia, USA