EGU2011: Wildfires, weather and climate

This session will focus on general wildfire aspects such as fire detection, fire behavior and fire consequences but is particularly is dedicated to the relation between atmospheric circulation and wildfires.

We are soliciting submissions concerning all aspects of fire occurrence and behavior related to weather and/or atmosphere and vegetation dynamics including such areas as i) recent techniques, methodologies and developments to detect active fires and fire scars, ii) fire impacts on the environment, in particular on the atmosphere and human health and iii) relation with social and economical changes.

In addition the session is also devoted to both weather and climate/climate change, and their influence on wildfire activity. We welcome all submissions relating wildfires to weather and climate, and are particularly interested in synoptic and large scale studies (diagnosis/modeling) for different climates of the world, from the equatorial/tropical region to mid and high-latitudes, such as:

(i) The relation between equatorial/tropical weather systems, monsoons, El Nino and wildfires, particularly in Africa, Brazil, Indonesia and Australia.
(ii) The impact played by large-scale teleconnection patterns (e.g. NAO, PNA, PDO) in terms of the monthly and seasonal scales on mid-latitude wildfire activity in the the USA, Canada and Europe.
(iii) The impact of recent meteorological extreme events, namely heatwaves and droughts, in large wildfires in California and the Mediterranean countries (e.g. Portugal [2003], Spain [2005], France, Italy [2007], Greece [2007, 2009], California [2007, 2009]).
(iv) Possible changes of global and regional wildfire characteristics as a consequence of climate change.

Selected papers presented at this session will be considered for publication in a Special Issue of an International Journal.Selected papers presented at this session will be considered for publication in a Special Issue of an International Journal.