Forest Fires Under Abnormal Weather Conditions in Central Siberia

Abstract

Occurrence of forest fires and their development to large and catastrophic wildfires are considered for Central Siberia taiga subzones under abnormal drought conditions. The combination of natural conditions that determine the appearance and spread of these fires are given for drought conditions. A map of the large wildfires distribution in the boreal forest subzones of Central Siberia is compiled for 1979 to 2011. A brief analysis is made of dry periods and their relation to the planetary atmospheric processes, as well as the possibility of wildfires escalating in boreal forests and mountain forests of southern Siberia under climate warming.

Keywords

• large and catastrophic forest fires
• droughts
• planetary atmospheric circulation
• extreme fire season
• Central Siberia