Publications

Pavleyehik, VM; Chibilev, AAA; Padalko, YA (2022). Pyrological Situation in the Steppes of Northern Eurasia. DOKLADY EARTH SCIENCES, 505(2), 591-597.

Abstract
The emergence and spreading of grass fires in the steppe regions of Northern Eurasia occurs against the background of spatial heterogeneity of landscapes and differences in the structure of nature management. The studies of the spatiotemporal regularities in the development of fires make it possible to identify complex relationships between natural and anthropogenic factors in the formation of pyrological conditions. The FIRMS (2001-2021) global archive of thermal anomalies and burnt areas and the results of interpretation of satellite images from Landsat (1984-2021) and MODIS in the key regions were used as sources of data on the fires. It was revealed that during the period under review in the study region four phases with different levels of exposure to fire phenomena have been observed. Sharp worsening of the pyrological situation in the early 2000s was caused by a reduction in agricultural production in the countries of the former Soviet Union, formation of vast regions of underused land, and continued practice of burning crop residues and other types of use of fire for economic purposes. Variations associated with the peculiarities of the meteorological conditions in individual years were observed against the background of the same type of conditions of the fire hazard phases, which is especially characteristic of the modern period, starting from 2011. The pyrological situation in the steppe regions and adjacent territories recorded in a long-term series has been developing synchronously in general, but differences were observed in parameters such as the characteristics of the seasonal development of fires, the morphometric and quantitative indicators of burnt areas, and the types of agricultural land affected.

DOI:
10.1134/S1028334X22080141

ISSN:
1531-8354