Wildfire Occurrence in Siberia and Seasonal Variations in Heat and Moisture Supply

Abstract

Subregional occurrence of fires in Siberian forests and seasonal variations in heat and moisture supply are analyzed. Instrumental data on wildfires registered through satellite monitoring data for the period of 1996–2016 are used. The dynamics of the weather fire danger index (PV-1) and intraseasonal anomalies of the Selyaninov’s hydrothermal coefficient (HTC) defining fire occurrence variation are revealed using meteorological data series for the Siberian subregions. The statistical regularities of the dynamics of the weather fire danger index are summarized for subregions. The separated scenarios are formalized by model functions. The projections of the probability of the scenarios’ implementation, the fire return period, and the respective relative burned area are determined.