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Atmosphere
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Advances in Fire-Atmosphere Interaction
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Advances in Fire-Atmosphere Interaction

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Meteorology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 May 2022) | Viewed by 11647

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Miguel Almeida

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics, 3030-289 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: wildfires; wildland-urban interface fires; fire behavior; fire safety; fire protection solutions; fire preparedness; fire response; fire prevention; fire risk management planes; decision support systems.
Dr. Diogo Lopes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: multi-scale air pollution modelling; atmospheric emissions; forest fires behavior
Dr. Carlos Viegas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics, 3030-289 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: robotics; field robotics; UAVs; fire engineering; fire protection
Dr. Tiago Rodrigues

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics, 3030-289 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: wildfires and health; fire behavior; science and technology management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The role that atmosphere plays in fire behavior is globally accepted as being of paramount relevance. However, the understanding of the fire–atmosphere interaction has several gaps and it is such a complex phenomenon that it is far from being completely understood. In this Special Issue, we welcome publications on several topics that combine fire and atmosphere, such as studies on fire behavior, fire weather, fire climate, smoke dispersion, and climate change, among others. Thus, this Special Issue is intended to organize the most recent and relevant scientific developments in these areas, contributing decisively to the integrated understanding of various aspects relating fire and atmosphere.

Dr. Miguel Almeida
Dr. Diogo Lopes
Dr. Carlos Viegas
Dr. Tiago Rodrigues
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Atmosphere is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fire weather
  • climate
  • meteorology
  • fire danger
  • conflagrations
  • large fire
  • smoke
  • coupled fire–atmosphere modeling

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 2248 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Skill of the Keetch–Byram Drought Index, Vapour Pressure Deficit and Water Potential for Determining Bushfire Potential in Jamaica
by Candice Charlton, Tannecia Stephenson, Michael A. Taylor and Jayaka Campbell
Atmosphere 2022, 13(8), 1267; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13081267 - 10 Aug 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1296
Abstract
Bushfire management which incorporates fire potential indices is still in its infancy in Jamaica and the Caribbean. In this study three bushfire potential indices—Keetch–Byram Drought Index (KBDI), Vapour Pressure Deficit (VPD) and Water Potential (Ψw)—are calculated for south-central Jamaica where bushfire [...] Read more.
Bushfire management which incorporates fire potential indices is still in its infancy in Jamaica and the Caribbean. In this study three bushfire potential indices—Keetch–Byram Drought Index (KBDI), Vapour Pressure Deficit (VPD) and Water Potential (Ψw)—are calculated for south-central Jamaica where bushfire frequencies are highest. The skills of the indices are evaluated using their representation of the normalised bushfire climatology, monthly and seasonal (December–March/DJFM; April–June/AMJ; July–August/JA and September–November/SON) fire variability for the periods 2013–2017, 2010–2019 and 2001–2019. Fire data are obtained from the MODIS C6 Archive and Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB). The relationship between the fire indices and large-scale oceanic and atmospheric features are also examined. The results suggest that Ψw exhibits strong correlations with the MODIS and JFB climatologies and represents well the maxima in March and July and the local minima in May–June and October. Ψw and VPDI also show good hit rates for moderate and high-risk categories in south-central Jamaica (though with relatively high false alarm rates). Regression models premised on Ψw and VPD respectively show good skill in representing AMJ (R2 = 57–58%), SON (R2 = 57–58%) and JA (R2 = 57–60%) fire variability. Variability during DJFM is poorly captured by any fire index. Although the KBDI represents the normalised climatology reasonably well its peaks occur one month later, that is, in April and August. KBDI exhibits strong and statistically significant correlations with JFB and MODIS climatologies, but seasonal models premised on KBDI do not perform as well as for the other two indices except in JA. All indices had a statistically significant relationship on both monthly and 1 month lag time scales for NINO3 and TNA-NINO3 large-scale climate indices. The indices, and in particular Ψw, show good prospects for producing seasonal bushfire outlooks for south-central Jamaica and Jamaica in general. These results also suggest the usefulness of monitoring large-scale oceanic patterns as part of the monitoring framework for bushfires in the island. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fire-Atmosphere Interaction)
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16 pages, 4266 KiB  
Article
The Performance of ECMWF Ensemble Prediction System for European Extreme Fires: Portugal/Monchique in 2018
by Rita Durão, Catarina Alonso and Célia Gouveia
Atmosphere 2022, 13(8), 1239; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13081239 - 04 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1358
Abstract
At the beginning of August 2018, Portugal experienced a severe heat episode over a few days that consequently increased the probability of wildfire events. Due to the advection of an anomalous very hot and dry air mass, severe fire-prone meteorological conditions were forecasted [...] Read more.
At the beginning of August 2018, Portugal experienced a severe heat episode over a few days that consequently increased the probability of wildfire events. Due to the advection of an anomalous very hot and dry air mass, severe fire-prone meteorological conditions were forecasted mainly over southern Portugal, in the Monchique region. Together with the significant fuel amount accumulated since the last extreme wildfire in August 2003, all the unfavorable conditions were set to drive a severe fire over this region. The Monchique fire started on 3 August 2018, being very hard to suppress and lasting for seven days, with a burnt area of 27,000 ha. Regarding the need to have operational early warning tools, this work aims to evaluate the reliability of fire probabilistic products, up to 72 h ahead, together with the use of fire radiative power products, as support tools in fire monitoring and resource activities. To accomplish this goal, we used the fire probabilistic products of the Ensemble Prediction System, provided by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. Among available fire danger rating systems, the Fire Weather Index and the Fine Fuels Moisture Code of the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index System were selected to assess the meteorological fire danger. The assessment of the fire intensity was based on the Fire Radiative Energy released, considering the Fire Radiative Power, delivered in near real-time, by EUMETSAT Land Surface Analysis Satellite Applications Facility. The exceptional fire danger over southern Portugal that favors the ignition of the Monchique fire and its severity was essential driven by two important factors: (i) the anomalous fire weather danger, before and during the event; (ii) the accumulated fuel amount, since the last severe event occurred in 2003, over the region. Results show that the selected fire probabilistic products described the meteorological fire danger observed well, and the LSA-SAF products revealed the huge amount of fire energy emitted, in line with the difficulties faced by authorities to suppress the Monchique fire. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fire-Atmosphere Interaction)
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27 pages, 6232 KiB  
Article
Observational Analyses of Dry Intrusions and Increased Ozone Concentrations in the Environment of Wildfires
by Christo G. Georgiev, Stephen A. Tjemkes, Athanasios Karagiannidis, Jose Prieto and Konstantinos Lagouvardos
Atmosphere 2022, 13(4), 597; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13040597 - 08 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1576
Abstract
In this study, atmospheric dynamical processes, which govern the intensification of wildfire activity and the associated increase in low-level ozone concentrations, were studied using images, advanced products and vertical profiles derived from satellite observations. The analyses confirm that the influence of deep stratospheric [...] Read more.
In this study, atmospheric dynamical processes, which govern the intensification of wildfire activity and the associated increase in low-level ozone concentrations, were studied using images, advanced products and vertical profiles derived from satellite observations. The analyses confirm that the influence of deep stratospheric intrusions, identified in the satellite water vapor imagery, on a fire-risk area contributes to the increase in fire activity. The depth of dry stratospheric intrusions, the associated synoptic evolution and the enhanced low-level ozone concentrations caused by vertical transport of stratospheric air and/or related to biomass burning emissions were analyzed using satellite measurements from SEVIRI, IASI and CrIS instruments, complemented with surface observations near the wildfires’ locations. It is shown that the spatial and vertical resolutions of these soundings provide a way of identifying areas of enhanced ozone downwind of wildfires. Influences of the upper-troposphere dynamics and the wind field evolution as factors of uncertainty and complexity in studying the ozone production from wildfire emissions are considered. The combination of satellite soundings and satellite estimations of fire radiative energy and WV imagery may contribute to better understand the ozone enhancement associated with stratospheric intrusion and wildfire emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fire-Atmosphere Interaction)
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34 pages, 19402 KiB  
Article
Influence of Convectively Driven Flows in the Course of a Large Fire in Portugal: The Case of Pedrógão Grande
by Paulo Pinto, Álvaro Pimpão Silva, Domingos Xavier Viegas, Miguel Almeida, Jorge Raposo and Luís Mário Ribeiro
Atmosphere 2022, 13(3), 414; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos13030414 - 03 Mar 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3721
Abstract
The influence of a mesoscale convective system (MCS) in the evolution of two wildfires that started during the afternoon of 17 June 2017 in Pedrógão Grande, Central Portugal is discussed and analysed using weather radar data, weather stations, video images and fire spread [...] Read more.
The influence of a mesoscale convective system (MCS) in the evolution of two wildfires that started during the afternoon of 17 June 2017 in Pedrógão Grande, Central Portugal is discussed and analysed using weather radar data, weather stations, video images and fire spread analysis. As the MCS approached the region, its convectively driven flows started to influence the fires. The overturning flows were formed by two main limbs: one organised as front-to-rear deep layer inflows that propagated over the convective region of the MCS and the other as rear-to-front mid-level inflows that descended below the anvil structure of the MCS. The rear-to-front inflows, while accelerating and descending to lower levels, contributed to modify the fires’ intensity and plume characteristics. After the two fires merged, the resulting junction fire became very intense and impossible to control. Then, a firestorm was generated, causing the deaths of 66 people. The main goal of this study is to detail the influence of the MCS in the fire spread, thus contributing to the general knowledge of outstanding fire behaviour modifications due to the influence of atmospheric convective processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fire-Atmosphere Interaction)
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20 pages, 9895 KiB  
Article
Fire Danger Harmonization Based on the Fire Weather Index for Transboundary Events between Portugal and Spain
by Daniela Alves, Miguel Almeida, Domingos Xavier Viegas, Ilda Novo and M. Yolanda Luna
Atmosphere 2021, 12(9), 1087; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/atmos12091087 - 24 Aug 2021
Viewed by 2106
Abstract
Portugal and Spain have a cross-border cooperation protocol on wildfires response for a buffer strip of 25 km for each side of the border. In spite of the success of this collaboration, there are issues to be improved, since Portuguese and Spanish authorities [...] Read more.
Portugal and Spain have a cross-border cooperation protocol on wildfires response for a buffer strip of 25 km for each side of the border. In spite of the success of this collaboration, there are issues to be improved, since Portuguese and Spanish authorities use different methodologies to assess the daily fire danger. A methodology to harmonize fire danger and its interpretation by the Portuguese and Spanish Civil protection authorities in the transboundary buffer strip area is hereby presented. The fire danger index used is the Canadian Fire Weather Index (FWI), which requires input from meteorological data and gives an indication of fire intensity. The fire danger class is an important decision support tool for preventing and fighting wildfires. Since the meaning of FWI values change from region-to-region according to its specific characteristics, a calibration process was performed based on statistical data of the daily FWI values, the number of fires and burned area between 2005 and 2013. The results of the FWI calibration and harmonization of the data for the five danger classes minimizes the fire danger discrepancies across the border. This methodology has the potential to be reproduced in other areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fire-Atmosphere Interaction)
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