Improved models for the propagation of forest fires in Austria
Abstract
The topography, the vegetation type as well as the vegetation structure of the forest are important elements for estimating the spread and intensity of forest fires. The Canadian Fire Weather Index (FWI) currently used in Austria for estimating the fire danger contains purely meteorological input parameters with a resolution of 1x1km, which means that the small-scale effects of vegetation cannot be adequately represented in the description of fire behaviour. Within the scope of the project EMERGE, the basics for an improved estimation of the behaviour of forest fires in Austrian forests are to be developed. In this way, the early warning system for forest fire danger will be expanded to include components of spread potential and fire intensity. The basis for this are i) empirical surveys in selected forest types on combustible biomass and forest structure, ii) area-wide estimations of combustible biomass, fire ladders and gaps in the Austrian forest via remote sensing data (Sentinel-2, Image Matching, LiDAR), iii) fire experiments for in-situ observation and analysis of fire behaviour, and iv) the development of a forest fire simulator for Austrian conditions by adapting existing modeling appraoches. The final products are expected to be a forest fire simulator, maps of the spread potential and fire intensity as well as an improved integrated approach for forest fire danger assessment, which will be made available to the general public via webservices.
- forest fire
- propagation
- vegetation
- intensity
Project staff
Harald Vacik
Ao.Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Harald Vacik
harald.vacik@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-91312
Project Leader
01.04.2022 - 31.03.2025
Milena Bortoli
Milena Bortoli
milena.bortoli@students.boku.ac.at
Project Staff
01.04.2022 - 31.03.2025
Atilla-Matthias Klumpp
Atilla-Matthias Klumpp
atilla.klumpp@students.boku.ac.at
Project Staff
01.04.2024 - 30.06.2024
Markus Koller
Markus Koller
markus.koller@students.boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-91317
Project Staff
01.04.2022 - 31.03.2025
Mortimer Müller
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.rer.nat. Mortimer Müller
mortimer.mueller@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-91318
Project Staff
01.04.2022 - 31.12.2024
Mathias Neumann
Ass.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Mathias Neumann
mathias.neumann@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-91328
Project Staff
01.04.2022 - 31.03.2025
Paul Richter
Dipl.-Ing. Paul Richter B.Sc.
paul.richter@students.boku.ac.at
Project Staff
01.04.2022 - 31.03.2025
Mariana Silva Andrade
Mariana Silva Andrade M.Sc.
mariana.andrade@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-91318
Project Staff
01.04.2022 - 31.12.2024
BOKU partners
External partners
Federal Forest Office (BFW)
Institut für Waldinventur: Klemens Schadauer
partner
Niederösterreichisches Feuerwehr- und Sicherheitszentrum
Franz Schuster
partner
Truppenübungsplatz Allentsteig, BMLV
Andreas BERGER
partner
Technische Universität Wien
Department für Geodäsie und Geoinformation, Forschungsgruppe Photogrammetrie: Markus Hollaus
partner