Lightning-ignited wildfires: thunderstorms and extreme events

Lightning is the most frequent natural ignition source of wildfires.

Lightning-ignited wildfires (LIWs) are a significant part of the fire regime in remote and mountainous regions across the world, as well as a major component of wildfires crises in the USA, Canada, Siberia, southern Europe, and Australia, among other regions.

Dry lightning (lightning that occurs without a considerable amount of rain) are mentioned as one of the main factors driving LIWs.

However, it is unclear how frequently dry lightning ignite fires, and whether dry lightning are associated to certain patters (e.g., shorter and smaller storms) and the lifecycle of thunderstorms (e.g., located at the edge and during the final stage).

On the other hand, the projected increase in lightning, along with global-scale processes (climate and land use changes), suggest that extreme wildfire events caused by lightning are likely to occur more frequently. FIRESKY aims to enhance the understanding of LIWs to improve preparedness for changing wildfire regimes.

To this end, FIRESKY will first characterize the thunderstorms causing LIWs, and second identify extreme LIWs and the conditions that promote them.

The research project will find the specific lightning strikes and thunderstorms responsible for LIWs, and a database of extreme LIWs will be created.

In summary, FIRESKY will help understand the role of thunderstorms in fire ignitions, and how these ignitions interact with other factors to become extreme wildfires. This knowledge can be incorporated into fire forecasting and detection systems.

In addition, FIRESKY increases public awareness about natural and extreme wildfires, and contributes to adaptation to climate change by improving our preparedness to extreme events as part of an integrated fire management approach.