According to the recent projections of future climate in Southern Europe, changes in temperature, precipitation and extreme events are expected. The largest warming is likely to be in the Mediterranean area in summer when the highest temperatures occur. In addition, the annual number of rainy days is very likely to decrease in the Mediterranean area with a general decrease of annual precipitation in most of the Mediterranean Basin, and an increase of risk of summer drought in both Central and Southern Europe. Also, more prolonged drought seasons could influence fuel moisture content and, consequently, the length of critical periods of high ignition danger for Mediterranean ecosystems. The main aims of this work are i) to identify useful tools to determine possible impacts of expected climate change on fuel status in Mediterranean shrublands, and ii) to identify effects of climate change on length of fire danger season. The study was carried out in Sardinia (Italy). Moisture content of dead fuel (1 hour and 10 hours fractions) was determined periodically during two consecutive years on several shrub species. Meteorological variables and temporal patterns of moisture content, estimated using humidity sensors, were also recorded. Data were used to determine the accuracy of the Canadian Fine Fuels Moisture Code (FFM code) in estimating dead fuel moisture pattern in Mediterranean areas. Then, the potential climate change impacts on both fuel status and length of ignition danger season in Mediterranean Basin shrublands was determined using the meteorological code and future climate scenarios at local scale derived from an advanced high resolution Regional Climate Model. Number of days included in different intervals of fine fuel moisture (FFM) code classes were calculated for the period May-October using data from the Regional Climate Model (1961 - 1990: baseline; 2071 - 2100 A1B scenario). Changes of length of fire danger season due to fuel status were analysed. The results showed no clear differences between baseline period and future scenario for the central summer period (July and August) when fire danger is extremely high. An increase of number of days for the highest FFM code classes was observed during other periods. These first results suggest that future climate projections could determine changes in fuel moisture dynamics and affect the duration of the danger fire season. Therefore, a general increase of fire danger in the Mediterranean area is likely to be expected.
Estimating effects of future climate on duration of fire danger season in Sardinia
Grazia Pellizzaro;Andrea Ventura;Bachisio Arca;Angelo Arca;Pierpaolo Duce;
2010
Abstract
According to the recent projections of future climate in Southern Europe, changes in temperature, precipitation and extreme events are expected. The largest warming is likely to be in the Mediterranean area in summer when the highest temperatures occur. In addition, the annual number of rainy days is very likely to decrease in the Mediterranean area with a general decrease of annual precipitation in most of the Mediterranean Basin, and an increase of risk of summer drought in both Central and Southern Europe. Also, more prolonged drought seasons could influence fuel moisture content and, consequently, the length of critical periods of high ignition danger for Mediterranean ecosystems. The main aims of this work are i) to identify useful tools to determine possible impacts of expected climate change on fuel status in Mediterranean shrublands, and ii) to identify effects of climate change on length of fire danger season. The study was carried out in Sardinia (Italy). Moisture content of dead fuel (1 hour and 10 hours fractions) was determined periodically during two consecutive years on several shrub species. Meteorological variables and temporal patterns of moisture content, estimated using humidity sensors, were also recorded. Data were used to determine the accuracy of the Canadian Fine Fuels Moisture Code (FFM code) in estimating dead fuel moisture pattern in Mediterranean areas. Then, the potential climate change impacts on both fuel status and length of ignition danger season in Mediterranean Basin shrublands was determined using the meteorological code and future climate scenarios at local scale derived from an advanced high resolution Regional Climate Model. Number of days included in different intervals of fine fuel moisture (FFM) code classes were calculated for the period May-October using data from the Regional Climate Model (1961 - 1990: baseline; 2071 - 2100 A1B scenario). Changes of length of fire danger season due to fuel status were analysed. The results showed no clear differences between baseline period and future scenario for the central summer period (July and August) when fire danger is extremely high. An increase of number of days for the highest FFM code classes was observed during other periods. These first results suggest that future climate projections could determine changes in fuel moisture dynamics and affect the duration of the danger fire season. Therefore, a general increase of fire danger in the Mediterranean area is likely to be expected.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.