University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) - Research portal
Gewählte Master / Diploma Thesis:
Mortimer Maximilian Mueller
(2010):
Analyse der durch Blitzschlag ausgelösten Waldbrände in Österreich.
Master / Diploma Thesis - Institut für Waldbau (WALDBAU),
BOKU-Universität für Bodenkultur,
pp 122.
UB BOKU
obvsg
- Abstract:
- This work discusses lightning induced forest fires in Austria. About 560 forest fires could be surveyed by the information provided by fire brigades, the Austrian Federal Forests (ÖBF AG) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW) till the end of 2008. The forest fires which were caused by lightnings (according to the information provided by the fire brigades) were compared with the real appearance of lightnings, using the “Austrian Lightning Detection and Information System“ (ALDIS). The verification of the forest fires caused by lightnings was carried out with the help of a decision tree. In this manner an estimate was given for each forest fire being caused by lightnings. 85% of the forest fires that were supposed as being lightning fires could be classified with a high probability as correct. 10% of the fires, whose cause was unknown, could also be graded as lightning caused fires. Only 1% of those fires, which had likely anthropogenic causes, generated a high probability of being affected by lightnings. 17% (95 cases) of the known forest fires were caused by lightnings from 2002 to 2008. Most lightning caused fires occurred in Carinthia; seasonally nearly all fires were found during the summer months. On an average most lightning fires were documented in the late afternoon. Fires through thunderstorm activities seemed to be more frequent at higher altitudinal zones too. Primarily Norway spruce (Picea abies L.), dominating in Austria, was affected by lightning fires; indeed, a disproportionate high portion of fires could be detected in pine forests. By the use of the high-resolution weather model INCA from the Central Institution for Meteorology and Geodynamism (ZAMG) it was possible to calculate three forest fire weather indices (Nesterov, FMI, WBKZ) and do a comparative analysis. Hereby, the FMI delivered the most persuasive results and the Nesterov showed the most badly performance.
- Beurteilende(r): Vacik Harald
- 1.Mitwirkender: Formayer Herbert