Byungdoo Lee

Temporal and spatial characteristics of forest fires in South Korea between 1970 and 2003

Information on the temporal and spatial patterns of forest fires can contribute to efficient forest fire management. To evaluate the readjustment of forest fire precautionary periods and to provide information for forest fire prevention and suppression strategies, the temporal and spatial characteristics of forest fire occurrences and spread in Korea were analysed using statistics from 1970 to 2003. Monthly forest fire occurrences and burned area were examined using time-series analysis, and F-tests were conducted among forest fire occurrences, burned area, and fire area growth rate to understand monthly forest fire characteristics. To understand the spatial characteristics of forest fires, cities and counties with similar forest fire characteristics were grouped based on cluster analysis of forest fire occurrences and spread characteristics. A seasonal exponential smoothing model was selected for forest fire occurrences and burned area. The number of mean annual forest fire occurrences was 429, and mean annual burned area was 2908 ha year–1 in Korea. The seasonal differences in forest fire characteristics were clearly distinguished, with 61% of total forest fire occurrences and 90% of total burned area being in March and April. Forest fire precautionary periods are suggested based on forest fire occurrence patterns. A total of 226 cities and counties throughout the country were classified into three groups. Group 1, which had frequent forest fire occurrences with smaller burned areas and slower fire growth area rates, was distributed in the western part of Korea and metropolitan regions. Group 3, which had a relatively small number of forest fire occurrences but larger burned areas and fast growth rates, was located in the central inland region and the eastern part of the Taeback Mountain Range. Group 2 had characteristics intermediate between those of group 1 and group 3.

Erratum to: Effects of forest fires on forest ecosystems in eastern coastal areas of Korea and an overview of restoration projects

Recent large fires have highlighted the importance of understanding post-fire processes in forest ecosystems, in order to implement ecologically sound post-fire forest restoration practices. Restoration principles should be based on a thorough understanding and appropriate integration of the ecological, social, and economic factors associated with forest ecosystems. In Korea, forest fires mainly affect pine forests, which provide habitats for pine mushrooms, a major source of income for local residents. Curculionid beetles can easily attack fire-damaged trees because of the trees’ weakened defense mechanisms. On the other hand, fire accelerates the decomposition of organic matter and nutrient release, thereby improving forest productivity. Natural restoration after large fires depends on regeneration (e.g., from seeds and sprouts) of the remaining trees that have sustained less damage, until secondary forests are established. However, severely burned areas may require rapid artificial regeneration depending on the specific climatic (e.g., summer rainy season), geographic (e.g., shallow surface soil and land erosion), and economic (e.g., local mushroom harvesting) objectives. A restoration plan should include constructing fuel breaks to reduce the fire risk if the area is replanted mainly with pine species.

Modeling Biodiversity Benefits and External Costs from a Keystone Predator Reintroduction Policy

In this paper, an economic model was constructed to determine the optimal wolf population and distribution across the Northern Rocky Mountains. Both ecological and economic concepts were incorporated in an implicitly spatial social welfare maximization problem. This interdisciplinary model relies on multiple data sources, including current wolf population and distribution information, opportunity cost to local landowners, and contingent valuation studies to determine willingness-to-pay for wolves. Economic models tend to externalize ecological concerns and ecological models often omit the complex human dimensions of conservation policy. Accordingly, this model can serve as a guide for integrating best practices from both fields. The model presented here is sufficiently general to apply to wolves in other ecosystems and to other highly interacting species such as beavers and bison. The Northern Rocky Mountain wolf was used as an example of how this economic model works, but this model can be applied far more broadly.

Crown fuel characteristics and carbon emission from Japanese red pine stands burned by crown fire in Mt. Palgong, South Korea

Carbon emissions from forest fires are considered an important factor of ecosystem carbon balance and global climate change. Carbon emissions from Japanese red pine stands (Pinus densiflora S. et Z.) burned by crown fire were estimated at Mt. Palgong in Daegu Metropolitan City, and crown fuel characteristics, including crown bulk density, crown base height, and fuel moisture content of Japanese red pine, were analyzed. Total biomass combusted was calculated by subtracting the biomass of burned stands from that of unburned stands exhibiting similar stand structures and site environments. Ten trees in the unburned area and five trees in the burned area were cut by using direct harvesting techniques to estimate crown layer biomass. All biomass sampled was oven-dried and weighed. The dry weight ratios of stems, branches, and needles were 70%, 21%, and 9%, respectively. The available fuel load susceptible to combustion during the crown fire spread was equivalent to 55% of the crown layer biomass. The crown bulk density was 0.24 kg/m3 on average. The estimated amount of CO2 was 23,454 kg CO2/ha for the crown layer. These results will be useful for calculating the amount of CO2 emitted from forest fires and for developing a forest carbon model in P. densiflora forests.

Forest fire risk assessment using point process modelling of fire occurrence and Monte Carlo fire simulation

Risk assessment of forest fires requires an integrated estimation of fire occurrence probability and burn probability because fire spread is largely influenced by ignition locations as well as fuels, weather, topography and other environmental factors. This study aims to assess forest fire risk over a large forested landscape using both fire occurrence and burn probabilities. First, we use a spatial point processing method to generate a fire occurrence probability surface. We then perform a Monte Carlo fire spread simulation using multiple fire ignition points generated from the fire occurrence surface to compute burn probability across the landscape. Potential loss per land parcel due to forest fire is assessed as the combination of burn probability and government-appraised property values. We applied our methodology to the municipal boundary of Gyeongju in the Republic of Korea. The results show that the density of fire occurrence is positively associated with low elevation, moderate slope, coniferous land cover, distance to roads, high density of tombs and interaction among fire ignition locations. A correlation analysis among fire occurrence probability, burn probability, land property value and potential value loss indicates that fire risk in the study landscape is largely associated with the spatial pattern of burn probability.

Optimal spatial allocation of initial attack resources for firefighting in the republic of Korea using a scenario optimization model

This study explores the optimal spatial allocation of initial attack resources for firefighting in the Republic of Korea. To improve the effectiveness of Korean initial attack resources with a range of policy goals, we create a scenario optimization model that minimizes the expected number of fires not receiving a predefined response. In this study, the predefined response indicates the number of firefighting resources that must arrive at a fire before the fire escapes and becomes a large fire. We use spatially explicit GIS-based information on the ecology, fire behavior, and economic characterizations important in Korea. The data include historical fire events in the Republic of Korea from 1991 to 2007, suppression costs, and spatial information on forest fire extent. Interviews with forest managers inform the range of objective functions and policy goals we address in the decision model. Based on the geographic data, we conduct a sensitivity analysis by varying the parameters systematically. Information on the relative importance of the components of the settings helps us to identify “rules of thumb” for initial attack resource allocations in particular ecological and policy settings.

The Study on the Viewshed Analysis and the Estimation of Proper Number of Forest Fire Surveillance Cameras (Focusing on Samcheok-Si)

This study suggested the proper number of the forest fire surveillance cameras. The visualities and effectiveness of surveillance cameras were analyzed according to basic administrative units in Samcheok City. First, we assessed the visual range and effectiveness of each surveillance camera. The results showed that visibility of the seventh surveillance camera was narrow and overlapped because of short distance from other camera. Consequently, The results of these analysis shows that the cameras which had a poor visual range located must be relocated in area where that had a high visual range. As new surveillance cameras are installed in this region, the location of these would have to be considered by these conditions; the overlapping of visibility with other cameras or other organizations, the adequacy of its location, etc. And over 32 surveillance camera would be need for the most effective monitoring in Samcheok City. These results would be utilized for improving an efficiency of surveillance camera and forest fire management techniques.

Exploring tree crown spacing and slope interaction effects on fire behavior with a physics-based fire model

ABSTRACT A substantial proportion of forests in the Republic of Korea are characterized by dense, young-growth pine stands which are prone to burn, particularly in the dry spring and fall seasons. Forest fuel reduction by thinning is needed to reduce the risk of catastrophic forest fire in Korea, but thinning guidelines to effectively reduce crown fire potential are not well established, particularly in areas with steep slopes. We describe an exploration of the interaction of different tree spacings, forest age classes, and slopes using the Wildland–urban interface Fire Dynamics Simulator (WFDS), a physics-based fire behavior model. A total of 36 simulations were performed using two terrain slopes, three stand ages and six tree spacings. Our results suggest that tree spacing significantly affects how fires propagate through forest canopies. We observed large reductions in fire size and intensity when tree spacing approached crown width. Also, most crown fires in our simulation stopped spreading through the canopy in less than 100 m when tree spacing was at least 6 m. We found that a different range of tree spacings was required to limit fire size, intensity, and fire spread distance according to its age class and the terrain slope. Although this exploratory study is only a first step in assessing the potential effectiveness of thinning treatments on fire behavior in steep terrain, this study demonstrates a potential use of WFDS for testing fuel reduction thinning guidelines. Future studies should assess sensitivity to different wind speeds and a broader range of fuel characteristics.

Questionnaire Concerning the Actual State of Forest Fire Danger for Facilities in Wildland-urban Interface in Gyeongbuk 3 Province

The facilities in the wildland-urban interface were main cause of forest fire occurrence and important point of forest fire protection and safety. The management of facilities and the determining the order of priorities for forest fire attack were very important for protecting human lifes and properties and estates. In this study, orders of danger rating priority and safety priority for facilities in wildland-urban interface were surveyed by questionnaire concerning. In results, the rate of awareness for danger facilities were high, while rate for protected facilities were low, The classification system for these facilities and education systems would be needed for solution of these problem. Officers who worked in the forest part(national and local administration) recognized rice paddies and dry fields, graveyards and orchard as danger facilities. And they recognized cultural assets and a preserved forest as protected facilities. The cultural assets and houses would be recognized as principal damaged facilities.

Tradeoff between the number of firefighting resources and the level of fire ignition prevention efforts in the Republic of Korea

This study explores the tradeoff relationship between the number of initial attack firefighting resources and the level of fire ignition prevention efforts mitigating the probability of human-made fires in the Republic of Korea, where most fires are caused by human activities. To examine this tradeoff relationship, we develop a hybrid model that combines a robust optimization model with a stochastic simulation model. The robust optimization minimizes the expected number of fires not receiving a pre-defined response, such as the number of firefighting resources that must arrive at the fire within half an hour, subject to budget constraints and uncertainty about the daily number and location of fires. The simulation model produces a set of fire scenarios in which a combination of number, location, ignition time, and intensity of fires occur. Results show that fire ignition prevention is as cost-effective as initial attack firefighting resources given the current budget in the Republic of Korea for reducing the expected number of fires not covered by the predefined response. The mixed policy of fire suppression and fire prevention may produce some gains in efficiency relative to the dominant policy of strong fire suppression strategies.