TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Chung Hsing University and Utah State University research predicted the severity and incidence of forest fires in Taiwan will increase due to climate change, especially during the dry season from November to April.
Furthermore, peak forest fire season will arrive earlier and last longer due to changes in precipitation and rising temperatures. The study called for government officials to re-evaluate forest fire management strategies, per UDN.
According to statistics from the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, there were a record 93 forest fires on state-owned forest land in 2021, affecting 94.6 hectares. While the number of forest fires dropped to 21 the following year (2022), for the most recent year (until November 2023), there were 51 forest fires.
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency said that 90% of forest fires are due to human factors. The spike in forest fires in 2021 coincided with a once-in-a-century drought.
Researchers at National Chung Hsing University and Utah State University analyzed future forest fire risks under different climate scenarios. The results of their research, including future forest fire risks, were published in the international scientific journal Climatic Change.
National Chung Hsing University Forest Recreation and Environmental Economics Lab Professor Liu Wan-yu (柳婉郁) said that climate change will increase temperature and reduce humidity, causing organic matter in the soil to dry out, leading to a greater chance of wildfires.
The study also found that Taiwan's temperatures and wind speeds showed a significant upward trend, resulting in a significant increase in forest fire risk. Liu said Taiwan's forests are indeed facing a climate change crisis as drought will become the norm in the future.
The dry season will be longer, making the soil drier and the trees more likely to ignite. By integrating the latest climate predictions into forest fire risk management, Taiwan can develop more effective strategies to mitigate the impact of forest fires.
Forest fire research has also encouraged officials to remove fuel from high-risk areas before the forest fire season begins. Other actions include planning and constructing permanent fire lines and fire prevention belts to reduce the potential impact of future forest fires.