A novel fire regime driven by increased lightning activity and lightning ignition efficiency for northwestern Patagonia, Argentina

Autores
Kitzberger, Thomas; Bürgesser, Rodrigo E.
Año de publicación
2025
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión aceptada
Descripción
Background. Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina, has in recent decades experienced large lightning-ignited wildfires that suggests ongoing changes into a novel fire regime. Aims. This study investigates spatial and temporal patterns, drivers and trends in lightning and lightning storm incidence and lightning ignition efficiency. Methods. We spatially/temporally matched 10 years of lightning stroke data, historical fire records and atmospheric reanalysis datasets. Key results. Andean forests had the highest incidence of dry lightning and highest ignition efficiency. Incidence of large lightning storms was associated with high atmospheric convective activity, related to an enhanced south reaching South American Low-Level Jet. Lightning ignitions were largely controlled by antecedent fire weather represented by threshold values of Fire Weather Index. Positive multidecadal trends in atmospheric instability and frequency of extreme fire weather relate to the observed 18-fold increase in lightning-caused fires, accounting for nearly 50% of the area burned in the last decade. Conclusions. More frequent lightning-ignited wildfires results from both increased monsoonal influence inducing atmospheric instability and warming- drying trends that impact on fuel conditions. Implications. Continued warming, combined with increasing lightning activity, suggest a growing role for lightning-ignited wildfires in shaping regional fire regimes, thus posing new challenges to fire managers and the society.
Fil: Kitzberger, Thomas. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche; Argentina.
Fil: Kitzberger, Thomas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina.
Fil: Rodrigo E. Bürgesser. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.
Fil: Rodrigo E. Bürgesser. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Group of Atmospheric Physic; Argentina.
Fuente
International Journal of Wildland Fire 34. (9)
Materia
climate change
Fire weather
Ignition efficiency
Lightning ignitions
Patagonia
Rossby waves
South American low-level jet
Wildfires
Ciencias de la Tierra y Medio Ambiente
Artículos
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Repositorio
Repositorio Digital Institucional (UNCo)
Institución
Universidad Nacional del Comahue
OAI Identificador
oai:rdi.uncoma.edu.ar:uncomaid/19691
Acceder
id RDIUNCO_e9b543025c7e1f837e36c370d557dfdc
oai_identifier_str oai:rdi.uncoma.edu.ar:uncomaid/19691
network_acronym_str RDIUNCO
repository_id_str 7108
network_name_str Repositorio Digital Institucional (UNCo)
spelling A novel fire regime driven by increased lightning activity and lightning ignition efficiency for northwestern Patagonia, ArgentinaKitzberger, ThomasBürgesser, Rodrigo E.climate changeFire weatherIgnition efficiencyLightning ignitionsPatagoniaRossby wavesSouth American low-level jetWildfiresCiencias de la Tierra y Medio AmbienteArtículosBackground. Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina, has in recent decades experienced large lightning-ignited wildfires that suggests ongoing changes into a novel fire regime. Aims. This study investigates spatial and temporal patterns, drivers and trends in lightning and lightning storm incidence and lightning ignition efficiency. Methods. We spatially/temporally matched 10 years of lightning stroke data, historical fire records and atmospheric reanalysis datasets. Key results. Andean forests had the highest incidence of dry lightning and highest ignition efficiency. Incidence of large lightning storms was associated with high atmospheric convective activity, related to an enhanced south reaching South American Low-Level Jet. Lightning ignitions were largely controlled by antecedent fire weather represented by threshold values of Fire Weather Index. Positive multidecadal trends in atmospheric instability and frequency of extreme fire weather relate to the observed 18-fold increase in lightning-caused fires, accounting for nearly 50% of the area burned in the last decade. Conclusions. More frequent lightning-ignited wildfires results from both increased monsoonal influence inducing atmospheric instability and warming- drying trends that impact on fuel conditions. Implications. Continued warming, combined with increasing lightning activity, suggest a growing role for lightning-ignited wildfires in shaping regional fire regimes, thus posing new challenges to fire managers and the society.Fil: Kitzberger, Thomas. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche; Argentina.Fil: Kitzberger, Thomas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina.Fil: Rodrigo E. Bürgesser. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Rodrigo E. Bürgesser. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Group of Atmospheric Physic; Argentina.CSIRO2025info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfpp. 1-13application/pdf1448-5516https://rdi.uncoma.edu.ar/handle/uncomaid/19691International Journal of Wildland Fire 34. (9)reponame:Repositorio Digital Institucional (UNCo)instname:Universidad Nacional del Comahueenghttps://doi.org/10.1071/WF25016info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/2026-11-05T12:29:07Zoai:rdi.uncoma.edu.ar:uncomaid/19691instacron:UNCoInstitucionalhttp://rdi.uncoma.edu.ar/Universidad públicaNo correspondehttp://rdi.uncoma.edu.ar/oaimirtha.mateo@biblioteca.uncoma.edu.ar; adriana.acuna@biblioteca.uncoma.edu.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:71082026-11-05 12:29:08.11Repositorio Digital Institucional (UNCo) - Universidad Nacional del Comahuefalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv A novel fire regime driven by increased lightning activity and lightning ignition efficiency for northwestern Patagonia, Argentina
title A novel fire regime driven by increased lightning activity and lightning ignition efficiency for northwestern Patagonia, Argentina
spellingShingle A novel fire regime driven by increased lightning activity and lightning ignition efficiency for northwestern Patagonia, Argentina
Kitzberger, Thomas
climate change
Fire weather
Ignition efficiency
Lightning ignitions
Patagonia
Rossby waves
South American low-level jet
Wildfires
Ciencias de la Tierra y Medio Ambiente
Artículos
title_short A novel fire regime driven by increased lightning activity and lightning ignition efficiency for northwestern Patagonia, Argentina
title_full A novel fire regime driven by increased lightning activity and lightning ignition efficiency for northwestern Patagonia, Argentina
title_fullStr A novel fire regime driven by increased lightning activity and lightning ignition efficiency for northwestern Patagonia, Argentina
title_full_unstemmed A novel fire regime driven by increased lightning activity and lightning ignition efficiency for northwestern Patagonia, Argentina
title_sort A novel fire regime driven by increased lightning activity and lightning ignition efficiency for northwestern Patagonia, Argentina
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Kitzberger, Thomas
Bürgesser, Rodrigo E.
author Kitzberger, Thomas
author_facet Kitzberger, Thomas
Bürgesser, Rodrigo E.
author_role author
author2 Bürgesser, Rodrigo E.
author2_role author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv climate change
Fire weather
Ignition efficiency
Lightning ignitions
Patagonia
Rossby waves
South American low-level jet
Wildfires
Ciencias de la Tierra y Medio Ambiente
Artículos
topic climate change
Fire weather
Ignition efficiency
Lightning ignitions
Patagonia
Rossby waves
South American low-level jet
Wildfires
Ciencias de la Tierra y Medio Ambiente
Artículos
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Background. Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina, has in recent decades experienced large lightning-ignited wildfires that suggests ongoing changes into a novel fire regime. Aims. This study investigates spatial and temporal patterns, drivers and trends in lightning and lightning storm incidence and lightning ignition efficiency. Methods. We spatially/temporally matched 10 years of lightning stroke data, historical fire records and atmospheric reanalysis datasets. Key results. Andean forests had the highest incidence of dry lightning and highest ignition efficiency. Incidence of large lightning storms was associated with high atmospheric convective activity, related to an enhanced south reaching South American Low-Level Jet. Lightning ignitions were largely controlled by antecedent fire weather represented by threshold values of Fire Weather Index. Positive multidecadal trends in atmospheric instability and frequency of extreme fire weather relate to the observed 18-fold increase in lightning-caused fires, accounting for nearly 50% of the area burned in the last decade. Conclusions. More frequent lightning-ignited wildfires results from both increased monsoonal influence inducing atmospheric instability and warming- drying trends that impact on fuel conditions. Implications. Continued warming, combined with increasing lightning activity, suggest a growing role for lightning-ignited wildfires in shaping regional fire regimes, thus posing new challenges to fire managers and the society.
Fil: Kitzberger, Thomas. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche; Argentina.
Fil: Kitzberger, Thomas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina.
Fil: Rodrigo E. Bürgesser. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.
Fil: Rodrigo E. Bürgesser. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Group of Atmospheric Physic; Argentina.
description Background. Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina, has in recent decades experienced large lightning-ignited wildfires that suggests ongoing changes into a novel fire regime. Aims. This study investigates spatial and temporal patterns, drivers and trends in lightning and lightning storm incidence and lightning ignition efficiency. Methods. We spatially/temporally matched 10 years of lightning stroke data, historical fire records and atmospheric reanalysis datasets. Key results. Andean forests had the highest incidence of dry lightning and highest ignition efficiency. Incidence of large lightning storms was associated with high atmospheric convective activity, related to an enhanced south reaching South American Low-Level Jet. Lightning ignitions were largely controlled by antecedent fire weather represented by threshold values of Fire Weather Index. Positive multidecadal trends in atmospheric instability and frequency of extreme fire weather relate to the observed 18-fold increase in lightning-caused fires, accounting for nearly 50% of the area burned in the last decade. Conclusions. More frequent lightning-ignited wildfires results from both increased monsoonal influence inducing atmospheric instability and warming- drying trends that impact on fuel conditions. Implications. Continued warming, combined with increasing lightning activity, suggest a growing role for lightning-ignited wildfires in shaping regional fire regimes, thus posing new challenges to fire managers and the society.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str acceptedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 1448-5516
https://rdi.uncoma.edu.ar/handle/uncomaid/19691
identifier_str_mv 1448-5516
url https://rdi.uncoma.edu.ar/handle/uncomaid/19691
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://doi.org/10.1071/WF25016
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
pp. 1-13
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv CSIRO
publisher.none.fl_str_mv CSIRO
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv International Journal of Wildland Fire 34. (9)
reponame:Repositorio Digital Institucional (UNCo)
instname:Universidad Nacional del Comahue
reponame_str Repositorio Digital Institucional (UNCo)
collection Repositorio Digital Institucional (UNCo)
instname_str Universidad Nacional del Comahue
repository.name.fl_str_mv Repositorio Digital Institucional (UNCo) - Universidad Nacional del Comahue
repository.mail.fl_str_mv mirtha.mateo@biblioteca.uncoma.edu.ar; adriana.acuna@biblioteca.uncoma.edu.ar
_version_ 1881033979487846400
score 13.334379

Publicaciones similares