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Profiling forest fires along the urban gradient: a Mediterranean case study

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Abstract

The present paper assesses the spatial distribution and basic characteristics of 2,692 forest fires occurred along the urban gradient in a Mediterranean expanding region (Athens, Greece) during twelve years (2000–2011). Using descriptive, correlation and multivariate statistics, the study demonstrates that fringe fires significantly differ in size and frequency from peri-urban and rural fires, with the highest values recorded in the peri-urban belt (7.8 events/ha/year with an average size of 30.5 ha). Fringe fires are medium-sized (8 ha on average) and affected primarily forests, woodlands and high shrub lands. Totalizing 57 % of total events, rural fires affected primarily pastures and agricultural areas and are the smallest in size (1.5 ha) showing also the lowest density (7.3 events/ha). Fire distribution in Athens reflects the transition from a mono-centric and compact city expanding along the fringe to a more dispersed agglomeration. Results point out the increased pressure on peri-urban land due to settlement sprawl and real estate speculation and highlight the urgent need of specific forest and land management measures separately for the urban fringe and peri-urban areas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Consiglio per la Ricerca e la sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Centre for the Study of Plant-Soil Interactions (CRA-RPS), Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184, Rome, Italy

    Luca Salvati

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  1. Luca Salvati
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Correspondence to Luca Salvati.

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Salvati, L. Profiling forest fires along the urban gradient: a Mediterranean case study. Urban Ecosyst 17, 1175–1189 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-014-0359-y

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