Forest fire occurrence in Parana State, in the period 2005 to 2010

Abstract

Parana holds the third largest area of forest plantations in the country. One of the concerns about the existing vegetation is related to the damages caused by forest fires. This research aimed to determine the fire season, the number of fire occurrences, the burned area, and the main state regions affected by these events. The analyzed data were collected from the State Fire Department, from 2005 to 2010. The results showed that in the analyzed period 54,793 fires, affecting 172,130 ha, were recorded. The main fire season was concentrated in the months of June to September, with 52.5% of the recorded occurrences. The biggest impact to the vegetation occurred in the months of July to September, with 76.0% of the affected area. The northwest region was the most affected, with 30.4% of the occurrences, followed by the northeast, with 17.3%. Regarding the affected area, the northwest region, with 65.6% of the total, run in first place, followed by the southwest, with 19.0%. The results allowed to conclude that the northern region was more susceptible to the occurrence of forest fires, due to environmental factors associated to the fires, like climate characteristics, vegetation cover, and the use of fire in agricultural practices.