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Pyrogeography: Mapping and Understanding the Spatial Patterns of Wildfire

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Geospatial Technologies in Environmental Management

Part of the book series: Geotechnologies and the Environment ((GEOTECH,volume 3))

Abstract

Wildland fires are a significant and growing problem for many communities. Simultaneously, fire is increasingly seen as an important component of natural ecosystems. As human development continues to encroach on wildland areas we will see more conflicts between allowing fire in ecosystems and human development. Geotechnologies such as remote sensing, GIS, and Dendrochronology are increasingly important in improving our understanding of the complex processes involved and the complicated social issues that accompany human interaction with wildland fire. Pyrogeography is an emerging approach that brings together many disciplines and techniques to help elucidate the spatial and temporal patterns that can help us better understand wildland fire. This chapter explores the key concepts necessary to understand current spatial research in fire ecology, spatial computer fire models, and some of the spatial data sets that are used in wildland fire research in the United States.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Jacob Lesser for his assistance with the graphics for this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Studies, Huxley College, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, 98225, USA

    Michael J. Medler

Authors
  1. Michael J. Medler
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Correspondence to Michael J. Medler .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Geography & Anthropology, Kennesaw State University, Chastain Road 1000, Kennesaw, 30144, Georgia, USA

    Nancy Hoalst-Pullen

  2. Dept. Geography & Anthropology, Kennesaw State University, Chastain Road 1000, Kennesaw, 30144, Georgia, USA

    Mark W. Patterson

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Medler, M.J. (2010). Pyrogeography: Mapping and Understanding the Spatial Patterns of Wildfire. In: Hoalst-Pullen, N., Patterson, M. (eds) Geospatial Technologies in Environmental Management. Geotechnologies and the Environment, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9525-1_3

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