PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2010, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (7): 778-788.doi: 10.11820/dlkxjz.2010.07.002

• Original Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Research Advances of Wildfire Spreading and Wildfire Risk Assessment

GUO Zhixing1,2,3, ZHONG Xingchun1,2,3, FANG Weihua1,2,3, CAO Xin1,2,3, LIN Wei4   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resources Ecology (Beijing Normal University), Beijing 100875, China|
    2. Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disaster, Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China|
    3. Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, Ministry of Civil Affairs &|Ministry of Education, the People's Republic of China, Beijing 100875, China|
    4. College of Resources Science &|Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
  • Received:2010-01-01 Revised:2010-05-01 Online:2010-07-25 Published:2010-07-25

Abstract:

Wildfire disasters have brought serious impacts on regional ecosystem and global climate system. The researches onf wildfire risk assessment and fire spreading have positive effect on fire prevention. In this paper, the latest research status and trends of fuel type models, approaches of mapping fuel, wildfire spreading models, computer simulation techniques about wildfire spreading, and wildfire risk assessment were reviewed. Firstly, it is concluded that better fuel models should be developed to supply effective data for the research on regional or global fire risk assessment and fire spread, based on remote sensing information and situ data. Secondly, the geo-spatial information technology and computer technology give solutions to massive data calculation of fire simulation, to establish monitoring system and network information system of real-time, dynamic simulation on fire behavior. Thirdly, wildfire risk assessment is conducted based on disaster system theory, subsequent to the evaluation of hazard factors and vulnerability of burned regions by fuel models and spreading models. Fourthly, integrated, practical, multi-dimensional and standardized wildfire spreading model and decision support system as well as a national fire danger rating system, should be developed in China, to provide a scientific basis for wildfire disaster prevention.

Key words: fuel, risk assessment, simulation technique, spread model, wildfire