Spatial fluctuation of forest fires and their regional behaviors

Historical forest fire records from Alaska State (1950–2000), California State (1895-2001), USA and Heilongjiang Province (1980–1999), China were used to calculate the longitude and latitude of the annual burned area’s centroids for these regions. Fluctuation phenomena by year were analyzed using spectrum analysis. The results show that centroids of burned areas in these three regions are in a fluctuating condition that encircles the distribution center. The distribution centers are 151.11°W, 64.96°N in Alaska State, 120.02°W, 37.11°N in California State and 127.07°E, 49.59°N in Heilongjiang Province, respectively. The fluctuation of the burned area’s centroids in Alaska State and California State in longitude has obvious periodicity, and the periodicities are 4.2 years, 6.25 years in Alaska State and 6.24 years, 106 years in California State. The fluctuation of the burned area’s centroids in Heilongjiang Province has a periodicity both in longitude and latitude, and the periodicities are both 3.3 years, 6.67 years. Fluctuation of the burned area’s centroids in Alaska State and California State in latitude does not have periodicity, and big forest fires with low frequencies predominate. __________ Translated from Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 2006, 42(5): 89–103 译自: 林业科学]