Susceptibility to Fire (Case the Forest of Chettabah, Algeria).

Author(s)

Malika Rached-Kanouni , Megrerouche R , Rached-Kanouni M , Amine Khodja A.E.M , Alatou D ,

Download Full PDF Pages: 08-13 | Views: 380 | Downloads: 103 | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3459023

Volume 4 - April 2015 (04)

Abstract

This work consists to evaluate the sensitivity of the Holm oak and Aleppo pine forestry vegetation against the fire in the region of Constantine (north-east Algerian). The shrub and herbaceous stratums are the most vulnerable and inflammables. The parameters analysis and the follow up of the foliage water content of the flammability and the combustibility is achieved during whole the year on the evergreen oak, Aleppo pine and a few number of secondary kinds of its floristic accompanying. The sensitivity of the foliage depend on the species, it is optimal during the summer. The time of flammability varies between 30 and 120 seconds in winter, even though the combustibility is between 40 and 500 seconds for the same periods. Theses variations allows to get noticed of the homogeneous groups for the litter, the bark and the other species like Asparagus acutifolium, Astragalus armatus Calycotome spinosa Ampelodesma mauritanicum, Cistus villosus, Pistacia lentiscus and Arbutus unedo. A classification of the different vegetables species is established according to studied parameters of the sensitivity degree. The air maximum temperature of the month is the hottest and is varied between (39-42°C). During the summer, the flammability is 60 seconds for Pinus halepensis and 20 seconds for Quercus ilex concerning the combustibility; it oscillates respectively between 200-400 seconds and 200-300 seconds for the two forestry species. The risk calculation by the CEMAGREF method is higher in the summer. The combustibility knowledge of the flammability is due to the foliage water content, linked to the species and the vegetable formation that are transposable for the vegetation map which allowed to class the planting by big flammability categories. 

Keywords

susceptibility to fire, Holm oak, Aleppo pine, water content, flammability, combustibility risk. 

References

  1. Bassi S., Kettunen M. (2007). Forest fires: causes and contributing factors in Europe. European parliament, policy department economic and scientific policy. Study IP/A/ENVI/ST/2007-15.
  2. FAO (2007). Situation des forêts du monde (synthèse mondiale). Partie 1: progrès vers la gestion durable des forêts. pp. 4-13, 64-72.
  3. FAO (2010). Global forest resources assessment, 2010. Main Report, pp. 341.
  4. FAO (2012). State of mediterranean forests (SoMF), pp. 60.
  5. Meddour-Sahar O., Meddour R., Derridj A. (2008b). Historique des feux de forêts en Algérie. Analyse statistique descriptive (période 1876-2005). Revue Campus, Université Mouloud Mammeri. Tizi-Ouzou 10: 43-53.
  6. Meddour-Sahar O., Derridj A. (2012). Bilan des feux de forêts en Algérie: Analyse spatiotemporelle et cartographie du risque (période 1985-2010). Sécheresse 23: 133-141
  7. Meddour-Sahar O., Meddour R., Leone V., Lovreglio R., Derridj A. (2013). Analysis of forest fires causes and their motivations in North Algeria: the Delphi method. iForest 6: 247-254
  8. Thirgood J. (1981). Man and the Mediterranean forest: a history of resource depletion. Academic Press, New York, USA.
  9. Vallejo R. (2005). Restoring mediterranean forests. In: “Forest Restoration in Landscapes: Beyond Planting Trees” (Mansourian S, Vallauri D, Dudley N eds). International Springer, New York, USA, pp. 313-319.
  10. Vélez R. (2000). La defensa contra incendios forestales. Fundamentos y experiencias. McGraw-Hill /Interamericana de Espana S.A.U., Madrid,Spain, pp. 22-42.

Cite this Article: