Wildfires Risk Assessment of North-East Hyrcanyan Forests of Iran by using Keetch-Byram and Mc-Arthur Indices

Forest is an important part of earth ecosystem; a great source for various usages and purposes of human, that its quantity and quality has been exposed on risk by recent population growth and wildfires. Hence in this study in order to manage this risk, Keetch-Byram and Mc-Arthur Indices were employed to determine potential areas of wildfire occurrence in North-East Hyrcanyan forests of Iran. The Mc-Arthur index has developed for assessing the wildfires for Australian forests and identifies the start and spread, fire intensity and capability of its control. Keetch-Byram drought index as a way to determine the potential of fires in forests is used in many countries. Therefore, the operating climate (maximum temperature, minimum relative humidity, mean wind speed, daily rainfall and evaporation) for the years 1384-1393 in the fall with the highest incidence of forest fires in East Hyrcanian was used. With the help of this information, zoning of the Mc-Arthur index and Keetch-Byram drought index during the mentioned time was performed using geographic information system (GIS). The results of the mapping indicated that there is not a definite and significant relationship between fire indices Mac-Arthur and there drought index Keetch-Byramin the studied areas. In high-risk areas, Keetch-Byram drought index is not a good indicator of fire potential, while Mc-Arthur fire risk index determined the high-risk areas very well. Climate is not the source of fire occurred. So Mc-Arthur fire index identifying the potential areas of fire could be remarkably considered in forest fire prevention or damage reduction in Iran.