Thermochemical Transformation of Calcium during Biomass Burning and the Effects on Postfire Aqueous Dissolution of Macronutrients.

Calcium is commonly the most abundant element in fire residues and its speciation largely determines the geochemical properties of fire residues and their effects on postfire soil chemistry. To explore the effects of biomass composition and fire conditions on ash Ca speciation, this study characterizes the speciation of Ca in charcoal and ash samples that were derived from different plant compartments and thermal conditions, using Ca K-edge X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy. Results showed that biomass contains abundant organic Ca complexes, which were mineralized into fairchildite and calcite after heating at 450 to 600 °C and then CaO, as temperature increased to 750 °C. Apatite could be an abundant Ca species in fire residues if the Ca/P molar ratio of the biomass is small (<2). The mineralization of organic Ca to the identified Ca minerals during burning was negligibly affected by the oxygen level. Calcium speciation in prescribed fire residues resembled that of biomass ash burned at 550 °C with similar Ca/P molar ratios. Batch experiments showed that macronutrients (Ca, Mg, K, and P) were differentially released, as a result of different solubility of minerals in ashes and reprecipitation of minerals. The aqueous solubility of Ca, Mg, and P decreased as pH increased from 5 to 9, while K showed no pH dependency and was almost completely soluble. Results from this study improve our understanding of the chemistry of fire residues and their geochemical behaviors, which can help evaluate the impact of fire on postfire soil properties and macronutrient cycling.

Prescribed fire regimes influence responses of fungal and bacterial communities on new litter substrates in a brackish tidal marsh.

Processes modifying newly deposited litter substrates should affect fine fuels in fire-managed tidal marsh ecosystems. Differences in chemical composition and dynamics of litter should arise from fire histories that generate pyrodiverse plant communities, tropical cyclones that deposit wrack as litter, tidal inundation that introduces and alters sediments and microbes, and interactions among these different processes. The resulting diversity and dynamics of available litter compounds should affect microbial (fungal and bacterial) communities and their roles in litter substrate dynamics and ecosystem responses over time. We experimentally examined effects of differences in litter types produced by different fire regimes and litter loads (simulating wrack deposition) on microbial community composition and changes over time. We established replicated plots at similar elevations within frequent tidal-inundation zones of a coastal brackish Louisiana marsh. Plots were located within blocks with different prescribed fire regimes. We deployed different measured loads of new sterilized litter collected from zones in which plots were established, then re-measured litter masses at subsequent collection times. We used DNA sequencing to characterize microbial communities, indicator families, and inferred ecosystem functions in litter subsamples. Differences in fire regimes had large, similar effects on fungal and bacterial indicator families and community compositions and were associated with alternate trajectories of community development over time. Both microbial and plant community compositional patterns were associated with fire regimes, but in dissimilar ways. Differences in litter loads introduced differences in sediment accumulation associated with tidal inundation that may have affected microbial communities. Our study further suggests that fire regimes and tropical cyclones, in the context of frequent tidal inundation, may interactively generate substrate heterogeneities and alter microbial community composition, potentially modifying fine fuels and hence subsequent fires. Understanding microbial community compositional and functional responses to fire regimes and tropical cyclones should be useful in management of coastal marsh ecosystems.

Determination of Toxicity at Different Trophic Levels of Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (AFFF) Used in Fire Fighting.

Aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF), containing perfluorinated surfactants, can reach the environment. The objective of this study was to determine the ecotoxicity of AFFF, according to the type of fire to be fought (A1: 1.05 g.L- 1, A2: 3.15 g.L- 1 and A3: 6.30 g.L- 1), to bioindicators of different trophic levels. For Artemia salina a toxic effect was observed at sample A1 (at concentrations of 100%), A2 (at concentrations above 25%) and A3 (at concentrations above 12.5%). For Lactuca sativa all samples affected the number of germinated seeds, speed and percentage of germination and root length. To the Eisenia fetida earthworm, samples A2 and A3 were considered toxic due to the percent avoidance being 70% and 100%, respectively. In Macaca mullata renal cell culture test, none of the samples were toxic by the MTT test. Therefore, it is necessary to develop methods for the safe use of AFFF by professionals.

Spatiotemporal changes and background atmospheric factors associated with forest fires in Turkiye.

In this study, spatiotemporal analysis of forest fires in Turkiye was undertaken, with a specific focus on the large-scale atmospheric systems responsible for causing these fires. For this purpose, long-term variations in forest fires were classified based on the occurrence types (i.e. natural/lightning, negligence/inattention, arson, accident, unknown). The role of large-scale atmospheric circulations causing natural originated forest fires was investigated using NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis sea level pressure, and surface wind products for the selected episodes. According to the main results, Mediterranean (MeR), Aegean (AR), and Marmara (MR) regions of Turkiye are highly susceptible to forest fires. Statistically significant number of forest fires in the MeR and MR regions are associated with global warming trend of the Eastern Mediterranean Basin. In monthly distribution, forest fires frequently occur in the MeR part of Turkiye during September, August, and June months, respectively, and heat waves are responsible for forest fires in 2021. As a consequence of the extending summer Asiatic monsoon to the inner parts of Turkiye and the location of Azores surface high over Balkan Peninsula result in atmospheric blocking and associated calm weather conditions in the MeR (e.g. Mugla and Antalya provinces). When this blocking continues for a long time, southerly winds on the back slopes of the Taurus Mountains create a foehn effect, calm weather conditions and lack of moisture in the soil of Antalya and Mugla settlements trigger the formation of forest fires.

Temporal assessment of forest cover dynamics in response to forest fires and other environmental impacts using AI.

The rapid reduction of forests due to environmental impacts such as deforestation, global warming, natural disasters such as forest fires as well as various human activities is an escalating concern. The increasing frequency and severity of forest fires are causing significant harm to the ecosystem, economy, wildlife, and human safety. During dry and hot seasons, the likelihood of forest fires also increases. It is crucial to accurately monitor and analyze the large-scale changes in the forest cover to ensure sustainable forest management. Remote sensing technology helps to precisely study such changes in forest cover over a wide area over time. This research analyzes the impact of forest fires over time, identifies hotspots, and explores the environmental factors that affect forest cover change. Sentinel-2 imagery was utilized to study changes in Brunei Darussalam's forest cover area over five years from 2017 to 2022. An object-based approach, Simple Non-Iterative Clustering (SNIC), is employed to cluster the region using NDVI values and analyze the changes per cluster. The results indicate that the area of the clusters reduced where fire incidence occurred as well as the precipitation dropped. Between 2017 and 2022, the increased forest fires and decreased precipitation levels resulted in the change in cluster areas as follows: 66.11%, 69.46%, 68.32%, 73.88%, 77.27%, and 78.70%, respectively. Additionally, hotspots in response to forest fires each year were identified in the Belait district. This study will help forest managers assess the causes of forest cover loss and develop conservation and afforestation strategies.

The impact of accelerant facilitated fire on blood detection and the efficacy of subsequent soot removal methods.

Previous literature has established that recovering heat damaged body fluids is possible, however with little investigation into the effect of accelerants used in initiating arson fires. This study therefore aimed to determine whether presumptive blood detection was affected by heat damage resulting from accelerant facilitated fires. Another objective was to examine various techniques for removing soot, which is a noted barrier to blood detection. The study focused on blood deposited on household flooring materials, one porous and one nonporous surface: carpet and tile respectively. Samples were burned with butane, petrol, and kerosene then presumptively tested using the Kastle Meyer colourimetric blood detection test. Testing was then repeated following soot removal by either wiping, scraping, or using liquid latex. The "strength" of positive detections was evaluated using a scale based on reaction speed and colour intensity. Results demonstrated that accelerants weakened detection strength, although nearly all samples tested positive overall, and the impact of each accelerant on both surface types was largely similar. It was also discovered that soot removal improved the strength of blood detection results in approximately 69% of carpet and 47% of tile samples, with wiping being the superior method on both surface types. Consequently, introducing this investigative step may be critical to maximizing blood evidence recovery in arson casework. These findings indicate the worth in recovering severely burned items, particularly for evidence as crucial as blood.

Influence of precipitation and temperature on burned areas in the agricultural and cattle ranching frontier of the Brazilian Amazon.

Fire occurrence, intensity, and spread are highly influenced by climatic variables. This study investigates the correlation between burned area, precipitation, and temperature in Rondônia, an agricultural frontier in the southwestern Brazilian Legal Amazon, from 2001 to 2022. The analysis utilized climatological data from the Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) and MODIS product MOD11A1.061 for temperature, along with MODIS product MCD64A1 for burned area. The study was conducted on a monthly scale, employing the cross-correlation function to determine the lagged effects of temperature and precipitation on burned areas. Trend analysis was performed using the Mann-Kendall test, with the magnitude of trends estimated by Sen's Slope. Results indicated a significant negative correlation between burned areas and precipitation, with a 2-month lag and an R2 of - 0.51. In contrast, temperature exhibited a significant positive correlation with burned areas, showing a 1-month lag and an R2 of 0.55. Trend analysis revealed a decrease in precipitation by - 0.0542 mm.month-1, temperature increased by 0.006 °C.month-1, while burned areas decreased by - 111.13 km2.month-1. These findings underscore the intricate relationship between climate variables and fire occurrences, highlighting the urgent need for policies addressing climate change and environmental degradation in the Amazon.

The John Sealy Hospital Fire Evacuation.

Advances in fire safety and building construction have made fires in modern health care facilities uncommon and easily contained. Therefore, emergent hospital evacuations resulting from an internal fire are rare. On January 4, 2017, a fire occurred at the John Sealy Hospital, part of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, resulting in emergent evacuation of the hospital building and an adjacent office and patient care building. The internal emergency response system was quickly activated, and more than 100 patients and 200 staff members were evacuated within 27 minutes with no fire- or smoke-related injuries. Obstacles encountered during the evacuation process included difficulties with communication and confirming patient count in a timely manner. This article describes the emergent hospital evacuation during the fire, summarizes the subsequent reflections of a multiagency after-action review, and issues a call to action for further research and publication on emergency patient evacuation.

Thinning followed by slash burning enhances growth and reduces vulnerability to drought for Pinus nigra.

Increasingly frequent severe drought events are pushing Mediterranean forests to unprecedented responses. Lack of management leads to dense forests that are highly susceptible to drought stress, potentially resulting in extensive dieback and increased vulnerability to other disturbances. Forest treatments like thinning and slash burning reduce competition for resources and have the potential to enhance tree growth and vigor and minimize tree vulnerability to drought. Here, we used tree rings to study the growth and physiological response of black pine (Pinus nigra) to drought in northeastern Spain under different treatments, including two thinning intensities (light and heavy, with 10% and 40% basal area reduction, respectively) followed by two understory treatments (clearing alone and in combination with slash burning), resulting in a research design of four treatments plus an untreated control with three replicates. Specifically, we studied basal area increment (BAI), resilience indices, and intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) using carbon and oxygen isotope composition (δ13C and δ18O in tree-ring cellulose) before and after treatments. Our results showed that BAI and resistance to drought increased in the heavy-thin (burned and unburned) and light-thin burned units. Resilience increased in the burned units regardless of the thinning intensity, while recovery was not affected by treatment. Slash burning additionally increased BAI in the light-thin and resistance and resilience in the heavy-thin units compared with clearing alone. The stable isotope analysis revealed a minor effect of treatments on δ13C and δ18O. No change in iWUE among treatments was presumably linked to a proportional increase in both net CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance, which particularly increased in the heavy-thin (burned and unburned) and light-thin burned units, indicating that these trees were the least affected by drought. This study shows that management approaches aimed at reducing wildfire hazard can also increase the vigor of dominant trees under drought stress. By reducing competition both from the overstory and the understory, thinning followed by clearing alone or in combination with slash burning promotes tree growth and vigor and increases its resistance and resilience to drought.

Thermal phenomena and size effects of Mg powder in combustion process.

Magnesium is a combustible metal that poses various safety risks, including fires and explosions. However, there are limited safety measures available to prevent and respond to potential fires and explosion incidents in the metal industry. In this study, the combustion process of Mg fires was closely examined using infrared thermal imaging, focusing on the effects of Mg powder size. For the experiment, Mg powder was burned by increasing the temperature to approximately 967.4 K using an ignition unit and controller equipped with a tungsten heater. Moreover, combustion velocity measurement experiments for Mg particle sizes of 75, 100, and 150 µm were conducted using the combustion velocity measurement device presented in the NFPA 484 standard. On combustion of Mg, flames are observed; smoke is emitted as demonstrated by thermal and flow visualization experiments. The combustion velocity measurement experiment results demonstrated that the greater the slope value (combustion velocity) for the combustion length over time, the faster is the combustion velocity, with the 75 µm particle size having the fastest combustion velocity. The results of this experiment can be utilized as references for Mg fire control design and to gain a better understanding of the scope of smoke and fire hazard investigation measures.

Presence of asbestos in building materials and soils in postfire areas of Mati, Kineta and Varimbombi in Greece.

The present study was carried out to determine the presence of asbestos in Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas of Attica, Greece affected by wildfires between 2018 and 2021. It concerns the first major campaign that took place in Greece. The samples tested in this work were collected from prespecified buildings of the burned area. The samples included different types of building materials such as bricks, wall coatings, insulation plates etc. Soil samples nearby the buildings were also collected to examine dispersion of the fibers. The identification of asbestos was based on the optical properties of the fibrous particles and was performed with stereo microscope and Polarized Light Microscopy according to P401 provided by BOHS (Health and Safety Executive (HSE) 2021). Scanning Electron Microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy was also used to validate the presence of asbestos and determine its chemical composition. In this work, 2 different types of asbestos were determined, chrysotile and crocidolite. In some cases, fragments of asbestos containing materials were also detected in the afore-mentioned soil samples indicating dispersion of asbestos containing debris in an area around the burned spots. The presence of asbestos that was identified in this preliminary study could raise concerns to humans in the urban areas. For that reason, a risk assessment for the identified asbestos containing materials (ACMs) was conducted according to the guidelines on management and abatement of ACMs of Health and Safety Authority and the Asbestos: Survey guide, Appendix 4: Material assessment algorithm of Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Beyond individual factors: a critical ethnographic account of urban residential fire risks, experiences, and responses in single-room occupancy (SRO) housing.

BACKGROUND: Burn injuries are a significant public health concern, closely linked to housing conditions and socioeconomic status. Residents in socioeconomically deprived neighbourhoods are at increased risk of exposure to hazards due to older and poorer housing conditions and limited access to fire protection measures. Individual behaviours such as substance use, smoking, and hoarding are often highlighted as primary causes of residential fires, overshadowing the broader socioeconomic and structural factors that also play a significant role in housing safety. This paper explores the correlation between inadequate housing conditions and heightened fire risks leading to burn injuries, focusing on the contextual factors shaping everyday urban fire risks, experiences, and responses of residents living in Single-Room Occupancy (SRO) housing in Vancouver's Downtown East Side (DTES) and staff working in the fire, health, housing (social and private), and non-profit sectors. METHODS: As part of an ongoing ethnographic study, we partnered with the Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) to conduct participant observations in private, non-profit, and government-owned SROs, modular homes, and a temporary shelter. This paper synthesizes insights from participant observations from the first author's self-reflexive journals, including informal conversations with approximately fifty-nine individuals such as SRO tenants, SRO managers/caretakers, health workers, burn survivors, municipal staff, not-for-profit staff, and firefighters. RESULTS: Urgent housing-related issues contributing to inequitable everyday urban fire risks were identified, such as structural deficiencies in SRO buildings and systems, inadequate waste management and storage, and inequitable approaches to addressing hoarding. Additionally, disparities in access to information and the interaction between interpersonal and structural stigmas were significant factors, underscoring the pressing need for intervention. CONCLUSION: Communities like DTES, facing precarious housing conditions, disadvantaged neighbourhoods, and complex health and social challenges, necessitate a comprehensive and holistic approach to fire prevention and safety. Recognizing the interplay between housing instability, mental and physical health issues, unregulated toxic drug supply, drug criminalization, and structural inequities allows practitioners from various sectors to develop contextually driven fire prevention strategies. This multifaceted approach transcends individual-level behaviour change and is crucial for addressing the complex issues contributing to fire risks in underserved communities.

Quantifying wildland fire resources deployed during the compound threat of COVID-19.

Fire agencies across the United States must make complex resource allocation decisions to manage wildfires using a national network of shared firefighting resources. Firefighters play a critical role in suppressing fires and protecting vulnerable communities. However, they are exposed to health and safety risks associated with fire, smoke inhalation, and infectious disease transmission. The COVID-19 pandemic further complicated these risks, prompting fire agencies to propose resource management adaptations to minimize COVID-19 exposure and transmission. It is unclear if and how the pandemic may have operationally influenced wildland firefighting personnel resource use given compounding wildfire and COVID-19 risks. Therefore, we developed generalized linear mixed models that were fit using multiple integrated datasets to detect changes in personnel resource use for years prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, while controlling for historical fire and landscape conditions, societal risks, and management objectives. Analyses of observed and predicted firefighting resource use revealed reductions in the mean personnel resources used per wildfire per day during the pandemic for models developed across the western U.S. and for various western U.S. fire regions. Notably, the Northern California and the Great Basin Coordination Centers showed statistically significant reductions in ground personnel use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning from wildland fire management strategies and resource use trends that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, fire agencies can better anticipate resource constraints that may arise during the compounding threats of severe wildland fire activity and infectious disease outbreaks to proactively prepare and adapt suppression management strategies.

Estimating the Acute Health Effects of Smoke Exposure from an Urban Factory Fire Accident: A Case Study of a Tire Factory Fire in Korea.

BACKGROUND: A major industrial fire accident occurred in a tire manufacturing factory in Daejeon, Korea, on 12 March 2023 and lasted for 3 d, generating air pollutant emissions. Although evidence regarding the health effects of urban fires is limited, residents near tire factory may have experienced health hazards due to smoke exposure from fire plumes. OBJECTIVES: Capitalizing on the timing of this fire incident as a natural experiment, we estimated the attributable excess air pollution exposure and associated disease development among residents living near the tire factory. METHODS: We used the generalized synthetic control method to estimate air pollution exposure and health burden attributable to the accident among residents living in smoke-exposed districts. Based on satellite images and air pollution monitoring results, three administrative districts (within 1.2km from the factory) were defined as smoke-exposed, and the other 79 districts of Daejeon were defined as controls. Among the 11 monitoring stations in Daejeon, the station located 500m from the factory was used to estimate excess air pollution exposure (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, O3, SO2, and CO) for residents in the exposed districts. The number of daily district-level disease-specific incidence cases were acquired from the National Health Insurance Database and used to estimate excess health burden resulting from the fire. RESULTS: During the first week following the factory fire, residents of exposed districts had an estimated excess exposure to 125.2 [95% confidence interval (CI): 44.9, 156.7] µg/m3 of PM10, 50.4 (95% CI: 12.7, 99.8) ppb of NO2, and 32.0 (95% CI: 21.0, 35.9) ppb of SO2. We also found an average increase in the incidence cases of other diseases of upper respiratory tract [20.6 persons (95% CI: 6.2, 37.4)], lung disease due to external agents [2.5 persons (95% CI: 2.1, 3.3)], urticaria and erythema [5.9 persons (95% CI: -0.6, 11.2)], and episodic and paroxysmal disorders [8.5 persons (95% CI: 3.7, 13.4)] in exposed districts. DISCUSSION: Excessive air pollution exposure and disease incidence were identified among residents living close to the tire factory. Preventive measures, such as a warning system, to avoid health impacts to people breathing fire-related pollution may be beneficial for communities impacted by such events. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14115.

Gelatin-based ionic hydrogel for intelligent fire-alarm system with considerable toughness, flame retardancy, and thermoelectric performance.

Temperature-responsive materials with excellent reliability, sensitivity, and flame-retardant properties have always been an urgent need in the field of intelligent fire protection. In this discourse, we introduce a novel thermosensitive ionic hydrogel coating (gelatin/poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)/CaCl2/spindle-shaped aluminum hydroxide nanosheet/glycerol, HCA) synthesized via free radical polymerization. HCA not only demonstrates considerable mechanical properties with a fracture strain of up to 842.5 % and a maximum tensile strength of 0.77 MPa but also exhibits notable flame retardancy and adhesion. It effectively covers combustible surfaces, providing outstanding fire protection. Notably, HCA boasts a Seebeck coefficient of up to 10.1 mV/K, significantly surpassing conventional thermoelectric materials. The well-established linear relationship between the generated voltage and temperature variation enables HCA-based intelligent fire-alarm system to accurately emit continuous alerts during fire incidents and swiftly transmit alarm signals to terminal devices. The development of this intelligent fire-alarm system presents new avenues in intelligent fire-safety technologies.

Can green firebreaks help balance biodiversity, carbon storage and wildfire risk?

Green firebreaks (strategically placed plantings of low-flammability vegetation) are designed to reduce the rate of fire spread and thereby increase the suppressibility of fires. Successful examples have led to some fire-prone regions investing heavily in the establishment of green firebreaks as a method of reducing fire risk while improving biodiversity and carbon storage. However, beyond small-scale case studies there has been little research quantitatively exploring the interactions among biodiversity, carbon, and wildfire risk in relation to green firebreaks. Here, we combine a Bayesian Network (BN) analysis, and fire simulations in PHOENIX RapidFire (hereafter Phoenix), to identify planting designs that reduce wildfire risks while also providing positive biodiversity and carbon outcomes. Using a BN analysis, we prioritised optimal planting designs as the combination of elements (e.g., stem density, distance from houses, shrub design, age etc.) that delivered the greatest increase in biodiversity and carbon while reducing fire risk to people and property for eight sites across south-eastern Australia. We ranked combinations of planting designs, prioritising house, and life loss first, to identify optimal designs. Optimal planting designs varied among sites, although the design elements that best reduced risk to houses and lives were consistent. These elements included 'scattered' shrubs and planting densities of trees consistent with an open forest structure. Estimated fuel loads for the optimal planting design at each site were used to create a simulated revegetation area in Phoenix. We simulated fire behaviour in Phoenix across a grid of ∼1000 ignitions for each site, and for up to 54 historic weather conditions for a 'current fuel' scenario (no green firebreaks present) compared with a 'green firebreak fuel' scenario. We found that the establishment of a green firebreak did not result in significant changes to fire behaviour at most sites. In some cases, it reduced risk to people and property, and where fire behaviour did change in terms of intensity, frequency, ember attack and overall risk, the differences relative to the current fuel scenario were less than two percent. Overall, simulated green firebreaks in most cases were found to provide biodiversity and carbon benefits without increasing fire risk. These findings illustrate their potential as an effective nature-based solution for managing multiple priorities; however, further testing of real plantings is required to evaluate this potential as an at-scale solution.

Assessing forest fire dynamics and risk zones in Central Indian forests: a comparative study of the Khandwa and North Betul forest divisions of Madhya Pradesh.

Forest fires pose significant environmental and socioeconomic threats, particularly in regions such as Central India, where forest ecosystems are vital for biodiversity and local livelihoods. Understanding forest fire dynamics and identifying fire risk zones are crucial for effective mitigation. The current study explores the spatiotemporal dynamics of forest fires in the Khandwa and North Betul forest divisions in the Central Indian region over 22 years using Mann-Kendall and Sen's slope tests on MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) fire point data. We found a nonsignificant increase in forest fires in both divisions. Khandwa showed a nonsignificant slope rise of more than three events per year, while North Betul revealed an increase of around one event per year. The lack of statistical significance suggests that upward trends of forest fire events may result from random fluctuations rather than consistent patterns. Spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed significant clustering of fire incidents in both regions. Khandwa confirmed moderate clustering (Moran's I = 0.043), whereas North Betul showed robust clustering (Moran's I = 0.096). Kernel density estimation further identified high-risk clusters in both divisions, necessitating zonal-wise targeted fire management strategies. Fire risk zonation was developed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), combining 10 environmental and socioeconomic factors. The AHP model, validated using MODIS fire data, showed reliable accuracy. The results revealed many of both divisions in the high- to very high-risk categories. Approximately, 45% of the area of the Khandwa and nearly 50% of the area of North Betul fall under high to very high fire risk zones. Khandwa's high-risk areas mainly lie in the northern and southeastern parts, while North Betul lies in the northwestern and north-eastern regions. The identified fire-prone areas indicate the pressing need for local or region-specific fire prevention and mitigation strategies. Thus, the findings of this study provide valuable insights into forest fire risk management and contribute to more focused research and methodological developments.