Markku Larjavaara, Timo Kuuluvainen, Heidi Tanskanen, Ari Venäläinen. (2004). Variation in forest fire ignition probability in Finland. Silva Fennica vol. 38 no. 3 article id 414. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.414

Keywords: ignition; forest fuel moisture; forest fire; fire regime

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

We examined climate-caused spatio-temporal variation of forest fire ignition probability in Finland based on empirical ignition experiments and 37 years of meteorological data from 26 meteorological stations scattered across Finland. First, meteorological data was used in order to estimate the variation in forest fuel moisture content with the model of the Finnish forest fire risk index. Second, based on data from empirical ignition experiments, fuel moisture content was linked with forest fire ignition probability. In southern Finland average forest fire ignition probability typically peaks in late May and early June, whereas in the northern part of the country the peak occurs at the end of June. There was a three-fold difference in the average annual ignition probability between the north-eastern part (3%) and south-western part of the country (9%). The observed differences in fire ignition probability suggest that the characteristics of the natural fire regime also vary considerably in the southern versus the northern part of the country.

Larjavaara, University of Helsinki, Dept of Forest Ecology, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: markku.larjavaara@helsinki.fi
Kuuluvainen, University of Helsinki, Dept of Forest Ecology, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: tk@nn.fi
Tanskanen, University of Helsinki, Dept of Forest Ecology, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: ht@nn.fi
Venäläinen, University of Helsinki, Dept of Forest Ecology, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: av@nn.fi

Click this link to register to Silva Fennica.

If you are a registered user, log in to save your selected articles for later access.

Contents alert

Your selected articles
Send to email

Kniivilä M., Saastamoinen O. (2002) The opportunity costs of forest conservation in .. Silva Fennica vol. 36 no. 4 article id 526 (remove) | Edit comment

Cajander A. K., (1927) The scientific foundation of forestry as exempli.. Silva Fennica vol. no. 4 article id 4445 (remove) | Edit comment

Metsähallitus ., (1951) Professional development courses for foresters 1.. Silva Fennica vol. no. 69 article id 4601 (remove) | Edit comment

Samarasinghe S., Kulasiri G. D. (2000) Displacement fields of wood in tension based on .. Silva Fennica vol. 34 no. 3 article id 630 (remove) | Edit comment

Lakari O. J., (1937) Forest management planning Silva Fennica vol. no. 39 article id 4484 (remove) | Edit comment

Vasander H., Mäkinen A. et al. (1979) Trace elements in soil profiles of paludified sp.. Silva Fennica vol. 13 no. 1 article id 5016 (remove) | Edit comment

Sánchez-Gómez P., Jiménez J. F. et al. (2013) Genetic structure of Tetraclinis articulata Silva Fennica vol. 47 no. 5 article id 1073 (remove) | Edit comment

Ersson B. T., Bergsten U. et al. (2014) Reloading mechanized tree planting devices faste.. Silva Fennica vol. 48 no. 2 article id 1064 (remove) | Edit comment

Kärkkäinen M., (1970) The optimum winching distance Silva Fennica vol. 4 no. 4 article id 4830 (remove) | Edit comment

Lihtonen V., (1944) Review on forest management in Finland Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 52 no. 4 article id 7382 (remove) | Edit comment

Hynninen P., Sepponen P. (1983) The effect of drainage on the quality of brook w.. Silva Fennica vol. 17 no. 1 article id 5172 (remove) | Edit comment

Sandum H. N., Ørka H. O. et al. (2026) Semantic segmentation of forest stands using dee.. Silva Fennica vol. 60 no. 1 article id 25010 (remove) | Edit comment

Annila E., (1989) Condition of forests and biotic damages Silva Fennica vol. 23 no. 4 article id 5393 (remove) | Edit comment

Nygren M., (1987) Germination characteristics of autumn collected .. Acta Forestalia Fennica vol. 0 no. 201 article id 7648 (remove) | Edit comment

Sjølie H. K., Butler B. J. et al. (2026) A call for improving forest socioeconomic data w.. Silva Fennica vol. 60 no. 1 article id 26001 (remove) | Edit comment

Follow @SilvaFennica