Climatic drivers for summer and winter wildfire burned area in northern Italy

• DOI: 10.5194/ems2024-1134
• Publication Date: 2024-07-05T09:38:36Z
• Authors: Alice Baronetti; Paolo Fiorucci; Antonello Provenzale

The Mediterranean region is a focal point for wildfires. Climate change projected to affect the hydrological cycle, resulting in intensified drought conditions and increased fire hazard. Even though northern Italy rich water resources, wildfires have become increasingly prevalent recent decades, occurring not only during summer but also winter season.This study explores climatic drivers influencing monthly burned area (BA) both seasons from 2007 2022.The GPS-based BA perimeters analysed here are provided by monitoring campaigns performed Carabinieri Command of Units Forestry, Environmental, Agri-food protection. For each ( May - October) (November -April) season, percentage at 0.11 degrees resolution 2007-2022 period was obtained. A total 150 daily precipitation maximum minimum ground station series were collected, converted scale, reconstructed, homogenised spatialised 0.11° mean Universal Kriging with auxiliary variables. Subsequently, several indices computed (Precipitation, Consecutive Dry Days (CDD) Wet (CWD)), temperature (Maximum Minimum Temperature Potential Evapotranspiration (ET0)) (Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI) Standardised (SPEI) Water Balance (WB)). Pearson’s correlation test between detrended time pixel seasons. Only strongest significant correlations  were retained identify best predictors. Based on CORINE Land Cover map, season vegetation classes that most susceptible wildfires, their typical elevation ranges, identified.This highlights different types behaviour Specifically, fires predominantly located plains, such as evergreen broadleaf forests natural mixed croplands. By contrast, target deciduous 800 1000 m. a.s.l..