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Active fires show an increasing elevation trend in the tropical highlands
Chiwei Xiao1,2, Zhiming Feng1,2, Peng Li1,2
1Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Global Change Biology
|January 25, 2022
Summary
Global active fire events are decreasing but occur mostly below 1500m. Tropical highlands see an upward elevational trend in fires, posing threats to forests and biodiversity. Enhanced fire management is crucial.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Climate Change Research
- Remote Sensing Applications
Background:
- Forest and vegetation fires are intrinsically linked to climate change, acting as both a cause and consequence.
- Topography significantly influences forest landscapes and fire behavior, necessitating an understanding of global fire event trends.
- Tropical regions are particularly vulnerable, requiring focused analysis of fire dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the topographical characteristics and elevational trends of active fires globally, with a focus on tropical regions.
- To analyze variations in active fire elevations using satellite data from 2001-2019.
- To assess the impact of topography on fire distribution and trends.
Main Methods:
- Utilized MODIS Collection 6 active fire products spanning from 2001 to 2019.
- Analyzed fire event elevations across continental and global scales, differentiating between tropics, extra-tropics, lowlands, and highlands (>200m asl).
- Examined elevational trends of active fires over time, particularly in tropical highlands and lowlands.
Main Results:
- Global active fire events averaged 4.5 million annually, with over 97% occurring below 1500m above sea level.
- The tropics and highlands accounted for approximately 74% and 71% of global fires, respectively, with 77% in tropical highlands.
- An upward elevational trend in active fires was observed in highlands (especially tropics) since the early 21st century, contrasting with a downward trend in lowlands.
Conclusions:
- Rising fire elevations, particularly in tropical highlands, indicate increased burning in elevated areas, threatening vital ecosystems and biodiversity refuges.
- The United Nations collaborative program on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD) may have slowed or reversed upward fire trends in partner countries.
- Enhanced fire management practices and continued research are essential to address the escalating threat of fires in a changing climate, especially in vulnerable tropical regions.
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