Forest Fire Analysis in Alaska

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Forest Fire Analysis in Alaska
Tom Stiles, Sarah Rockey, Adele Botha, Kevin
Latschaw, Marisa Chong
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Objective

• To determine the direct correlations (if any)
  between certain factors that influence the
  frequency and occurrence of wildland fire in
  Alaska and how can these observations be used to
  predict or prevent future fires?

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Influence Factors

• Human Presence
• Vegetation Type (Fuel Type)
• Fire Management Practices
• Amount of Precipitation

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Data Analyzed

• Human Influences
• Proximity to Road
• Population Density
• Fire Management Practices
• Natural Influences
• Vegetation
• Weather

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Layers of Data

• Wildland Fires
• Vegetation
• Precipitation (Accumulated during Fire Season)
• Elevations
• Roads
• Fire Management
• Bodies of Water
• Cities
• Alaska Fire Management Options
• Buffer of Roads
• Roads near Fires
• Wildland Fires next to Roads

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Human Presence

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Vegetation Type

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Fire Management Practices

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Amount of Precipitation
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Results

• 31,130,632 total acres burned in 1999
• 641,541 acres burned near cities
• 981,447 acres burned near roads
• 3 of fires are human caused
• 50 fires possibly caused by humans in 1999
• 97 are a result of natural causes
• Mostly Spruced Forest was Burned
• Majority of fires occurred in limited management
  zones

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Boundary Fire, Alaska 2004
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Alaska fire 2004
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Donely Flats Fire, June 1999
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Frostfire, Alaska July 1999
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Kevinjik Fire July 1999
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Solstice Complex Alaska 2004