Unrecorded Tundra Fires of the Arctic Slope, Alaska USA

• DOI: 10.3390/fire6030101
• Publication Date: 2023-03-06T06:35:30Z
• Authors: Eric A. Miller; Benjamin M. Jones; Carson A. Baughman; Randi R. Jandt; Jennifer L. Jenkins; David A. Yokel
• Keywords: Thermokarst; Foothills; Ecoregion

Few fires are known to have burned the tundra of Arctic Slope north Brooks Range in Alaska, USA. A total 90 between 1969 and 2022 known. Because fire has been rare, old burns can be detected by traces thermokarst distinct vegetation they leave otherwise uniform tundra, which visible aerial photograph archives. Several prehistoric found this way. Detection sparsely populated remote area historically inconsistent opportunistic, relying on reports aircraft pilots. Fire logged into an administrative database which, out necessity, used scientifically evaluate changes regime. To improve consistency record, we completed a systematic search Landsat Collection 2 for Foothills ecoregion over period 1972–2022. We 57 unrecorded burns, about 41% total, now numbers 138. Only 15% 33% all appear MODIS VIIRS satellite-borne thermal anomaly products, respectively. The frequency first 37 years record is 0.89 y−1 natural ignitions that spread ≥10 ha. Frequency last 13 2.5 y−1, indicating nearly three-fold increase frequency.