Lightning-sparked wildfires in the Arctic: Recent events and associated meteorological conditions
Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
individual
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Lynnlee Rosolino, senior
Lead Presenter's Name
Lynnlee Rosolino
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Aviation
Faculty Mentor Name
Shawn Milrad
Abstract
The Arctic tundra has been lit up by wildfires in recent years. These wildfires can have detrimental impacts upon humans, wildlife, and the environment as land is destroyed and toxic pollutants are released into the atmosphere. Several of these intense wildfires are believed to have been sparked by cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning strikes in the region. The purpose of this research is to first determine the correlation between significant lightning strikes and areas where severe wildfires have initiated, and then to determine the specific atmospheric conditions that allowed for the two events to occur. Some environmental ingredients that will be analyzed using reanalysis data include temperature, Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), vertical motion, and humidity.
Analyses of lightning strokes and wildfires have shown a strong correlation between the two in Arctic regions. Extreme lightning events occur several days ahead of many intense wildfires. One such event where a strong relationship between lightning and wildfires is evident is the 2020 Siberian fires. The wildfires of 2020 were highly destructive and devastated the region, so studying the meteorological conditions associated with the period of initiation will benefit forecasts of future lightning-initiated wildfires in remote high-latitude regions. Identifying a set of specific meteorological ingredients present on days when lightning sparked wildfires could increase preparation for future fires, which may help prevent the Arctic tundra from other devastating events.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Lightning-sparked wildfires in the Arctic: Recent events and associated meteorological conditions
The Arctic tundra has been lit up by wildfires in recent years. These wildfires can have detrimental impacts upon humans, wildlife, and the environment as land is destroyed and toxic pollutants are released into the atmosphere. Several of these intense wildfires are believed to have been sparked by cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning strikes in the region. The purpose of this research is to first determine the correlation between significant lightning strikes and areas where severe wildfires have initiated, and then to determine the specific atmospheric conditions that allowed for the two events to occur. Some environmental ingredients that will be analyzed using reanalysis data include temperature, Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), vertical motion, and humidity.
Analyses of lightning strokes and wildfires have shown a strong correlation between the two in Arctic regions. Extreme lightning events occur several days ahead of many intense wildfires. One such event where a strong relationship between lightning and wildfires is evident is the 2020 Siberian fires. The wildfires of 2020 were highly destructive and devastated the region, so studying the meteorological conditions associated with the period of initiation will benefit forecasts of future lightning-initiated wildfires in remote high-latitude regions. Identifying a set of specific meteorological ingredients present on days when lightning sparked wildfires could increase preparation for future fires, which may help prevent the Arctic tundra from other devastating events.