FACTS & FIGURES | Wildfires

Introduction To Wildfires

Figure 1 shows all of the fire detections in the UK from 1st January to 30th April 2019. This image has been produced by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) which is a satellite that detects fires of any size.
Figure 2 shows the increase in the number of fires and the area burnt in hectares. There has been a vast increase in the number of wildfires in the UK over the past couple of years from 1 in 2014 to 135 in 2019. Also, in 2014 85 hectares of land was burnt, but in 2019 29,334 hectares of land was burnt.
Figure 3 shows the wildfires for 2020 from January to August and when they started to increase rapidly at the start of lockdown. 1 week into lockdown there was a dramatic increase by over 4,000 fires., which continued to rise until the beginning of June. From here the increase in wildfires has plateaued since.
2019 was the worst years for Wildfires in the UK, with more fires starting between January and April than the whole of 2018. 76% of fires in West Yorkshire are intentionally started, which is putting immense pressure on fire services from outside town which is taking them away from other important jobs.

Figure 1. Dsuphin, L. VIIRS Fire Detection, 2019

How Are Fires Started?

Arson (intentional)
- Many more fires are started by arson to intentionally cause fires and is the biggest cause of wildfires in the UK.
Barbeques, Campfires, Bonfires (accidental)
- During the summer more people travel to moorlands to have BBQs and enjoy the beautiful landscapes the UK has to offer. When BBQs, campfires and bonfires are left unattended and burn out of control larger fires start, potentially causing a chain reaction with the flammable peat on the moors.
Heatwaves and Warmer Winters
- Due to climate change, the UK is facing more frequent heatwaves that aren't just in summer. This means that plants dry out and are more flammable. The UK is also experiencing warmer and wetter winters which are contributing to plant growth. These two factors mean there is more plant life that is susceptible to fire, which will spread quickly across the moors.
Smoking/Cigarettes
- The least likely to cause a fire is cigarettes however, they are known to start fires during heatwaves along with the flammability of the moorland.
Land Management Fires
- Farmers tend to set fire under control to old heather bushes so that new buds can form for food for wildlife. Sometimes the fires get out of control and scare the public. There are campaigns around to prevent the burning of land as it is having an impact on the environment.

Why Are Wildfires Difficult to Extinguish?

Wind
- As most wildfires are present in moorland, they tend to be at a higher altitude above sea level. This means that winds are stronger and therefore spread fires faster over a greater distance.
Uneven Terrain
- Moorlands are covered in uneven terrains as they are meant for growing vegetation and wild animals such as sheep.
Peat and Underground Fires
- Peat (decayed vegetation) ends up underground while grass grows over the top. This means when fires start, they also burnt underground where they go unnoticed, causing larger and more dangerous fires.

Figure 2. Smith, T. Number of UK Wildfires and Average Area Burnt, 2019

Figure 3. Kiek, T. UK wildfires have increased sharply in 2020.. 2020.

What Effects Are Wildfires Having on the Environment?

Nature
- Moorland is home to wildlife such as sheep and grouse who use the moors to graze and create habitats in. The moors are mainly covered in heather, where the grouse nest and eat off. Burning the heather destroys their habitats as well as reducing their food supply, which also affects other wildlife's food too.
Leisure
- Many activities can take place on moors such as: walking, biking, horse riding, running and sports. When the land is burnt, it becomes unpleasant to look at and unwelcoming when visiting. This makes people less likely to visit moorlands and enjoy the outdoors, which will also have an effect on the local economy.
Property
- People who live near wildfire hotspots are in danger the most as they will feel the effects more, due to breathing in smoke, losing land/house/business.
Agriculture
- Employment on the moors comes from grouse shooting and sheep farming, contributing to the local economy and providing jobs to many people. Wildfires have a large impact on these jobs.
Flood Management
- The moors are used as water storers, so flooding does not occur in the villages on lower ground. Wildfires cause this excess water to flood nearby town, as well as taking rich soils away from the moors.e
Pollution Control
- CO₂ from the smoke ends up in the flooded water which ends up in rivers and reservoirs. The smoke also has a bad effect on people's health, especially if they have lung conditions.
Carbon Sink
- Peat is a great storer of CO₂ and holds more CO₂ than woodlands. Peat holds 10% of the UKs total CO₂ emissions. The negative to this is the peat releases the pollution back into the environment when it is damaged by wildfires.

REFERENCES

Nasa.gov. (2019). Fires Burn Across the UK. Available at: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/145005/fires-burn-across-the-uk?src=ve (Accessed: 16 Nov. 2020).

West Yorkdhire and Fire Rescue Service (2019). Be Moor Aware. Available at: https://www.westyorksfire.gov.uk/your-safety/community/be-moor-aware/ (Accessed 16 Nov. 2020).

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Carbon Brief. (2019). Guest post: Understanding the UK’s recent spike in wildfires. Available at: https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-understanding-the-uks-recent-spike-in-wildfires (Accessed 16 Nov. 2020])‌

Kiek, T. (2020). UK wildfires have increased sharply in 2020. Available at:https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/3469315/?utm_source=showcase&utm_campaign=visualisation/3469315 (Accessed 18 November 2020)