The Risk of Fire in Vegetative Cover from the Point of View of Ecological Planning

Summary

The impact of fire on the landscape and the danger it presents for existing plants and equipment which represent large capital investments, implies that the risk of fire in vegetative cover should be considered in territorial planning.

In 1980 in the Sesimbra region (Portugal), a study integrating ecological and territorial planning was carried out. The fire risk was included in the definition of the territory’s potential for habitation and non-polluting industry.

This natural risk was calculated by the integration in qualitative terms of the physical and biotic elements considered determinant for fire propagation in the vegetation (temperture, humidity, land morphology, type and structure of the vegetation, and so on). They are included in a planning factor which describes the territory defining vegetation tesistance gradients against fire.