Presentation that explain the ecological, social and political context of the fire regime in Valencia.

1. Forest Fires in the
Valencian Community
(Spain)
Student: Juan José Mena Costa

2. ALLOCATION MAP
(Own work based in IDEE www.idee.es)

3. PHYSIOGRAPHY
http://cartoweb.cma.gva.es/

4. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS: PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE
Tmean = 16.1 ºC
Tmean max = 33 ºC
P = 569mm
Month more precipitation = October
Large drought season
http://www.globalbioclimatics.org/

5. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS: NORMALIZED WIND INDEX
(Estrela Navarro et al. 2005)

6. FOREST COVER MAP
- Forested area: 754.459.12 ha
- Mixed: 20%
- Broadleaves: 10%
- Coniferous: 70%
MARM, 2008

7. EVOLUTION OF LAND COVER BETWEEN 1994 2006
Land Cover in the IFN3 in ha.
Land Cover in the IFN3 in % (2006)
29%
3%
22%
46%
Forest cover > 20%
Forest cover < 20%
Shrublands and
grasslands
Total non forested
680,069
74,390
500,879
1,070,11
4
(2006)
Forest cover > 20%
Forest cover < 20%
Shrublands and
grasslands
Total non forested
493,176
135,103
586,798
1,110,43
2
Land Cover in the IFN2 in ha.
(1994)
Forest cover > 20%
Forest cover < 20%
Shrublands and
grasslands
Total non forested
Land Cover in the IFN2 in % (1994)
21%
6%
25%
48%
Forest cover > 20%
Forest cover < 20%
Shrublands and
grasslands
Total non forested
Tercer Inventario Forestal Nacional (IFN3)

8. LAND USE PATTERNS
Increase of forest-urban interface
Rural areas abandonment
http://www.verkami.com/projects/9853-llibre-pobles-
abandonats-de-la-peninsula-iberica#

9. FREQUENCY OF FOREST FIRES PER MUNICIPALITY MAP 1998-2008
(Pausas & Fernández-Muñoz, 2011)

10. WILDFIRE INDEX RISK ACCORDING VEGETATION AND PHYSIOGRAPHY
(Estrela Navarro et al. 2005)

11. WILDFIRE INDEX RISK ACCORDING WEST WINDS AND ITS COMBINATION
(Estrela Navarro et al. 2005)

12. STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK TO REDUCE FIRE RISK
(Carreiras et al., 2014)

13. MAP OF FOREST FIRE PREVENTION PLANS
http://cartoweb.cma.gva.es/

14. FOREST FIRE POLICIES
1. Preventive afforestation
2. Planning for the prevention of forest fire occurrence
3. Management of fire use and fire ignition aftermath activities
4. Organization of fire extinguishing
5. Promote collective actions
6. Recover burned areas
7. Punishment System
Poor involvement of stakeholders.
Priority is given to fire suppression
Wildfire prevention is carried out at the planning level.
Prescribed fires not allowed.
(Carreiras et al. 2014)

15. BIG SIMULTANEOUS FOREST FIRES “CORTES AND ANDILLA” (2012)
Cortes de Pallás : 28.643 ha
Andilla: 19.940 ha
2 Helicopter crassed
1 pilot dead
2 bounded persons
20 municipalities
About 3000 persons evacuated.
Satellite Aqua: NASA
EFE

16. FREQUENCY OF FOREST FIRES PER MUNICIPALITY BETWEEN 1998-2008

17. POTENTIAL EROSSION

18. References:
Carreiras, M. et al., 2014. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF POLICIES TO DEAL WITH
WILDFIRE RISK. Land Degrad. & Develop., 103(January), pp.92–103.
Estrela Navarro, M.J. et al., 2005. Integración de una cartografía de vientos en
situaciones meteorológicas de riesgo de incendios forestales en la Comunidad
Valenciana mediante un SIG”. GeoFocus, 5, pp.94–114.
Pausas, J.G. & Fernández-Muñoz, S., 2011. Fire regime changes in the Western
Mediterranean Basin: from fuel-limited to drought-driven fire regime. Climatic
Change, 110(1-2), pp.215–226. Available at: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s
10584-011-0060-6 [Accessed September 8, 2014].

19. Thanks for your attention