A Community Mental Health Integrated Disaster Preparedness Intervention for Bushfire Recovery in Rural Australian Communities: Protocol for a Multimethods Feasibility and Acceptability Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Natural hazards are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change. Many of these natural disasters cannot be prevented; what may be reduced is the extent of the risk and negative impact on people and property. Research indicates that the 2019-2020 bushfires in Australia (also known as the "Black Summer Bushfires") resulted in significant psychological distress among Australians both directly and indirectly exposed to the fires. Previous intervention research suggests that communities impacted by natural hazards (eg, earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods) can benefit from interventions that integrate mental health and social support components within disaster preparedness frameworks. Research suggests that disaster-affected communities often prefer the support of community leaders, local services, and preexisting relationships over external supports, highlighting that community-based interventions, where knowledge stays within the local community, are highly beneficial. The Community-Based Disaster Mental Health Intervention (CBDMHI) is an evidence-based approach that aims to increase disaster preparedness, resilience, social cohesion, and social support (disaster-related help-seeking), and decrease mental health symptoms, such as depression and anxiety. OBJECTIVE: This research aims to gain insight into rural Australian's recovery needs post natural hazards, and to enhance community resilience in advance of future fires. Specifically, this research aims to adapt the CBDMHI for the rural Australian context and for bushfires and second, to assess the acceptability and feasibility of the adapted CBDMHI in a rural Australian community. METHODS: Phase 1 consists of qualitative interviews (individual or dyads) with members of the target bushfire-affected rural community. Analysis of these data will include identifying themes related to disaster preparedness, social cohesion, and mental health, which will inform the adaptation. An initial consultation phase is a key component of the adaptation process and, therefore, phase 2 will involve additional discussion with key stakeholders and members of the community to further guide adaptation of the CBDMHI to specific community needs, building on phase 1 inputs. Phase 3 includes identifying and training local community leaders in the adapted intervention. Following this, leaders will co-deliver the intervention. The acceptability and feasibility of the adapted CBDMHI within the community will be evaluated by questionnaires and semistructured interviews. Effectiveness will be evaluated by quantifying psychological distress, resilience, community cohesion, psychological preparedness, and help-seeking intentions. RESULTS: This study has received institutional review board approval and commenced phase 1 recruitment in October 2022. CONCLUSIONS: The study will identify if the adapted CBDMHI is viable and acceptable within a village in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. These findings will inform future scale-up in the broader rural Australian context. If this intervention is well received, the CBDMHI may be valuable for future disaster recovery and preparedness efforts in rural Australia. These findings may inform future scale-up in the broader rural Australian context. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/53454.

Into the unknown: The role of post-fire soil erosion in the carbon cycle.

Wildfires directly emit 2.1 Pg carbon (C) to the atmosphere annually. The net effect of wildfires on the C cycle, however, involves many interacting source and sink processes beyond these emissions from combustion. Among those, the role of post-fire enhanced soil organic carbon (SOC) erosion as a C sink mechanism remains essentially unquantified. Wildfires can greatly enhance soil erosion due to the loss of protective vegetation cover and changes to soil structure and wettability. Post-fire SOC erosion acts as a C sink when off-site burial and stabilization of C eroded after a fire, together with the on-site recovery of SOC content, exceed the C losses during its post-fire transport. Here we synthesize published data on post-fire SOC erosion and evaluate its overall potential to act as longer-term C sink. To explore its quantitative importance, we also model its magnitude at continental scale using the 2017 wildfire season in Europe. Our estimations show that the C sink ability of SOC water erosion during the first post-fire year could account for around 13% of the C emissions produced by wildland fires. This indicates that post-fire SOC erosion is a quantitatively important process in the overall C balance of fires and highlights the need for more field data to further validate this initial assessment.

Severe microplastic pollution risks in urban freshwater system post-landfill fire: A case study from Brahmapuram, India.

To investigate the escalating issue of microplastic (MP), pollution in urban water bodies, this study focuses on the aftermath of the Brahmapuram landfill fire in Kochi, India, analyzing its impact on MP concentrations in nearby freshwater system. The study conducted sampling sessions at the landfill site immediately before and after the fire. Post-fire, findings demonstrated a substantial increase in MP concentrations in surface waters, with levels rising from an average 25793.33 to 44863.33 particles/m³, featuring a notable presence of larger, predominantly black MPs. Sediment samples showed no significant change in MP count, but there was a significant increase in mass concentration. SEM/EDS analysis revealed changes in surface morphology and elemental composition, suggesting thermal degradation. Risk assessment using the Microplastic Pollution Index (MPI) and Risk Quotient (RQ) methods indicated heightened MP pollution risk in surface water post-fire. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed the landfill's proximity as a significant factor influencing MP characteristics in the aquatic system. The study highlights the escalated challenge of MP pollution in urban water bodies following environmental disasters like landfill fires, underscoring the urgent need for policy and environmental management strategies.

Emission of volatile organic compounds during open fire cooking with wood biomass: Traditional three-stone open fire vs. gasifier cooking stove in rural Kenya.

Cooking with wood biomass fuels releases hazardous air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), that often disproportionally affect women and children. This study, conducted in Kwale and Siaya counties in Kenya, employed thermal desorption gas chromatography - mass spectrometry to analyse VOC emissions from cooking with a wood biomass three-stone open fire vs. top-lit updraft gasifier stove. In kitchens with adequate ventilation, total VOC levels increased from 35-252 µg∙m-3 before cooking to 2235-5371 µg∙m-3 during open fire cooking, whereas use of a gasifier stove resulted in reduced emissions from cooking by 48-77 % (506-2778 µg∙m-3). However, in kitchens with poor ventilation, there was only a moderate difference in total VOC levels between the two methods of cooking (9034-9378 µg∙m-3 vs. 6727-8201 µg∙m-3 for the three-stone open fire vs. gasifier stove, respectively). Using a non-target screening approach revealed significantly increased levels of VOCs, particularly benzenoids, oxygenated and heterocyclic compounds, when cooking with the traditional open fire, especially in closed kitchens, highlighting the effects of poor ventilation. Key hazardous VOCs included benzene, naphthalene, phenols and furans, suggesting potential health risks from cooking. In kitchens with good ventilation, use of the gasifier stove markedly reduced emissions of these priority toxic VOCs compared to cooking with an open fire. Thus, substituting open fires with gasifier stoves could help to improve household air quality and alleviate health risks. The study revealed that VOCs were present prior to cooking, possibly originating from previously cooked food (buildup) or the outside environment. VOC emissions were also exacerbated by reduced air flow in high humidity during rainfall, suggesting an area for further research. The findings underscore the importance of adopting cleaner cooking technologies and enhancing kitchen ventilation to mitigate the impacts of VOCs in developing countries.

Does the degradation of histosols due to recurrent fire affect the establishment of a hygrophilal autochthonous tree species?

Forest Islands and their adjacent natural grasslands are vulnerable and sensitive ecosystems to the actions of severe fires, which result in losses of their resilience, which makes the potential of passive restoration of these environments unfeasible after such events. This study aims to verify, through an autochthonous species exclusive to these Forest Islands, whether it can develop in Histosols around a Forest Island that has been degraded by fire for years. The place of study and collection of the material tested was in the Sempre-Vivas National Park. Histosols samples were collected for analysis of chemical and physical attributes and experimental conduction in a seedling nursery. The performance of Richeria grandis was evaluated in these Histosols from seed vigor tests, initial plant growth in a greenhouse. R. grandis manages to develop in Histosols around the degraded Forest Island, disregarding possible interspecific field competitions. The physical and chemical characteristics of the Histosols around the island do not prevent the effective restoration of this phytocenosis. R. grandis showed the same seed vigor for all Histosols tested and all seedlings survived until the end of the experiment. It was observed that the seedlings grown in the Histosols of the island of the forest, showed a behavior of greater height, number of leaves and moisture content, and the place with exposed Histosols, with the highest fire severity, provided the lowest development in height, diameter and number of leaves. According to ecophysiological analyses, the species is under some environmental stress regardless of the treatment.

Self-assembled lignin-based flame retardant hybrids carrying Cu2+ for poly(lactic acid) composites with improved fire safety and mechanical properties.

To enhance the flame retardancy and mechanical performance of PLA, a polyelectrolyte complex predicated on lignin was obtained by electrostatic mutual adsorption of ammonium polyphosphate (APP), polyethyleneimine (PEI), and copper ions as raw materials. The FT-IR spectra and EDX analysis confirmed the successful synthesis of a lignin-based flame retardant hybrid (APL-Cu2+) containing copper, phosphorus, and nitrogen elements. The combustion test results showed that the peak heat release rate and total heat release of the PLA composite containing 12 wt% APL-Cu2+ were decreased by 15.1 % and 18.2 %, respectively, as compared to those of pure PLA. The char residue morphology observation revealed that the addition of APL-Cu2+ could promote the formation of a highly dense and stable graphitized char layer, while TG-MS detected the emission of refractory gases such as ammonia gas, carbon dioxide, and water during combustion. The strong hydrogen bonding between APL-Cu2+ and the PLA matrix kept the composite maintaining good strength and toughness. The tensile strength and impact strength of PLA/6APL-Cu2+ increased by 4.73 % and 65.71 %, respectively, due to its high crystallinity and good interfacial compatibility. This work provides a feasible method to develop biobased flame retardant hybrids for PLA composites with better fire safety and improved mechanical properties.

Agricultural production and air pollution: An investigation on crop straw fires.

In numerous developing nations, the pervasive practice of crop residue incineration is a principal contributor to atmospheric contamination in agricultural operations. This study examines the repercussions of such biomass combustion on air quality during the autumnal harvest season, utilizing data acquired from satellite-based remote sensing of fire events and air pollution measurements. Employing wind direction information alongside difference-in-difference and fixed-effects methodologies, this investigation rectifies estimation inaccuracies stemming from the non-random distribution of combustion occurrences. The empirical findings reveal that agricultural residue burning precipitates an elevation in average PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by approximately 27 and 22 µg/m3 during the autumnal incineration period, respectively. Furthermore, air pollution attributed to residue burning in prominent grain-producing regions exceeds the national average by approximately 40%. By integrating economic paradigms into agri-environmental inquiries, this study offers novel insights and substantiation of the environmental expenditures engendered by crop residue burning, juxtaposed with extant meteorological and ecological research findings.

Fire suppression and land-use strategies drive future dynamics of an invasive plant in a fire-prone mountain area under climate change.

Woody invasive alien species can have profound impacts on ecosystem processes and functions, including fire regulation, which can significantly affect landscape resilience. Acacia dealbata, a widespread invasive alien plant in the Iberian Peninsula, holds well-known fire-adaptation traits (e.g., massive soil seed banks and heat-stimulated seed germination). In this study, we assess to what extent fire suppression and land-use strategies could affect the potential distribution of A. dealbata in a fire-prone transboundary protected mountain area of Portugal and Spain, using Habitat Suitability Models. Specifically, we predicted changes in habitat suitability for A. dealbata between years 2010 and 2050. We explored the potential impacts of two land-use strategies ('Business-as-usual' or 'High Nature Value farmlands') combined with three levels of fire suppression effectiveness using the biomod2 package in R. We also considered the potential effects of two climate change scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). Our modeling approach demonstrated a strong capacity to predict habitat suitability using either climate or land-cover information alone (AUC climate = 0.947; AUC LC = 0.957). According to climate-based models, A. dealbata thrives under conditions characterized by higher precipitation seasonality, higher precipitation in the warmest month, and higher minimum temperature in the coldest month. Regarding land cover, A. dealbata thrives mainly in landscapes dominated by urban areas and evergreen forest plantations. Our models forecasted that habitat suitability by 2050 could either increase or decrease depending on the specific combinations of fire suppression, land-use, and climate scenarios. Thus, a combination of business-as-usual and fire-exclusion strategies would enhance habitat suitability for the species. Conversely, management promoting High Nature Value farmlands would decrease the available suitable habitat, particularly under low fire suppression efforts. These findings suggest that promoting sustainable farming activities could impede the spread of A. dealbata by reducing habitat availability, while strategies aiming at fire-exclusion could facilitate its expansion, likely by enabling establishment and large seed production. This study highlights the complex interplay between fire-prone invasive species, fire and land-use strategies, and climate change; and thus the need to consider the interactions between land-use and fire management to promote invasive species control and landscape resilience.

Synergistic effect of phytic acid and eggshell bio-fillers on the dual-phase fire-retardancy of intumescent coatings applied on cellulosic substrates.

Cellulosic substrates, including wood and thatch, have become icons for sustainable architecture and construction, however, they suffer from high flammability because of their inherent cellulosic composition. Current control measures for such hazards include applying intumescent fire-retardant (IFR) coatings that swell and form a char layer upon ignition, protecting the underlying substrate from burning. Typically, conventional IFR coatings are opaque and are made of halogenated compounds that release toxic fumes when ignited, compromising the roofing's aesthetic value and sustainability. In this work, phytic acid, a naturally occurring phosphorus source extracted from rice bran, was used to synthesize phytic acid-based fire-retardants (PFR) via esterification under reflux, along with powdered chicken eggshells (CES) as calcium carbonate (CaCO3) bio-filler. These components were incorporated into melamine formaldehyde resin to produce the transparent IFR coating. It was revealed that the developed IFR coatings achieved the highest fire protection rating based on UL94 flammability standards compared to the control. The coatings also yielded increased LOI values, indicative of self-extinguishing properties. A 17 °C elevation of the IFR coating's melting temperature and a significant ∼172% increase in enthalpy change from the control were observed, indicating enhanced fire-retardancy. The thermal stability of the coatings was improved, denoted by reduced mass losses, and increased residual masses after thermal degradation. As validated by microscopy and spectroscopy, the abundance of phosphorus and carbon groups in the coatings' condensed phase after combustion indicates enhanced char formation. In the gas phase, TG-FTIR showed the evolution of non-flammable CO2, and fire-retardant PO and P-O-C. Mechanical property testing confirmed no reduction in the adhesion strength of the IFR coating. With these results, the developed IFR coating exhibited enhanced fire-retardancy whilst remaining optically transparent, suggestive of a dual-phase IFR protective mechanism involving the release of gaseous combustion diluents and the formation of a thermally insulating char layer.

XRF identification of sharp-force trauma in fresh and dry human bone under varied experimental heat conditions.

Heat-induced fractures can be hard to distinguish from sharp force traumas. This challenge can negatively impact medico-legal analysis. The present study aimed to experimentally assess if X-ray fluorescence (XRF) can be used to detect chemical traces transferred from the blade of a sharp instrument onto both fresh and dry human bones. This was performed by inducing sharp force traumas with five different instruments on 20 fresh and 20 dry human clavicles. All bone samples were probed before and after experimental burning (at 500 °C, 700 °C, 900 °C and 1100 °C). Our results show that XRF is potentially useful for detecting iron traces in fresh human bone, both unburned and burned. However, we were not able to clearly detect iron traces from the blades in bones that have been previously inhumed, since exogenous iron acquired during diagenesis masks the iron traces originating from the blade.

Integrated Firefighting Textile with Temperature and Pressure Monitoring for Personal Defense.

Although electronic textiles that can detect external stimuli show great promise for fire rescue, existing firefighting clothing is still scarce for simultaneously integrating reliable early fire warning and real-time motion sensing, hardly providing intelligent personal protection under complex high-temperature conditions. Herein, we introduce an "all-in-one" hierarchically sandwiched fabric (HSF) sensor with a simultaneous temperature and pressure stimulus response for developing intelligent personal protection. A cross-arranged structure design has been proposed to tackle the serious mutual interference challenge during multimode sensing using two separate sets of core-sheath composite yarns and arrayed graphene-coated aerogels. The functional design of the HSF sensor not only possesses wide-range temperature sensing from 25 to 400 °C without pressure disturbance but also enables highly sensitive pressure response with good thermal adaptability (up to 400 °C) and wide pressure detection range (up to 120 kPa). As a proof of concept, we integrate large-scalable HSF sensors onto conventional firefighting clothing for passive/active fire warning and also detecting spatial pressure and temperature distribution when a firefighter is exposed to high-temperature flames, which may provide a useful design strategy for the application of intelligent firefighting protective clothing.

Fully bio-based intumescent flame retardant hybrid: A green strategy towards reducing fire hazard and improving degradation of polylactic acid.

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a promising renewable polymer material with excellent biodegradability and good mechanical properties. However, the easy flammability and slow natural degradation limited its further applications, especially in high-security fields. In this work, a fully bio-based intumescent flame-retardant system was designed to reduce the fire hazard of PLA. Firstly, arginine (Arg) and phytic acid (PA) were combined through electrostatic ionic interaction, followed by the introduction of starch as a carbon source, namely APS. The UL-94 grade of PLA/APS composites reached V-0 grade by adding 3 wt% of APS and exhibited excellent anti-dripping performance. With APS addition increasing to 7 wt%, LOI value increased to 26 % and total heat release decreased from 58.4 (neat PLA) to 51.1 MJ/m2. Moreover, the addition of APS increased its crystallinity up to 83.5 % and maintained the mechanical strength of pristine PLA. Noteworthy, APS accelerated the degradation rate of PLA under submerged conditions. Compared with pristine PLA, PLA/APS showed more apparent destructive network morphology and higher mass and Mn loss, suggesting effective degradation promotion. This work provides a full biomass modification strategy to construct renewable plastic with both good flame retardancy and high degradation efficiency.

The role of orthodontics in children identification: a case report of two victims of mass disaster.

INTRODUCTION: Human Identification based on dental evidence cannot be accomplished if antemortem dental records are unavailable or of poor quality. The involvement of the orthodontist in mass disaster victim identification processes may be crucial in relation to the amount and quality of the records which can be obtained before, during, and following the treatment. AIM: The aim of the study is the description of the contribution of the findings drawn from orthodontic records to the identification of victims of mass disasters who had received an orthodontic treatment, through the presentation of two cases. The first case involves the identification of a child victim of a plane crash and the second case involves the identification of two identical twin girls who died in a fire. In both cases, the identification was based on the findings obtained from the ante-mortem records provided by the orthodontist. CONCLUSIONS: The orthodontists apply customized orthodontic appliances and keep a comprehensive file of images, casts, radiographs, and other records in their practice. As a result, they can make a substantial contribution to the identification of young people or even adult victims of mass disasters in any case in which the authorities make a request.

Amundsen Sea Ice Loss Contributes to Australian Wildfires.

Wildfires in Australia have attracted extensive attention in recent years, especially for the devastating 2019-2020 fire season. Remote forcing, such as those from tropical oceans, plays an important role in driving the abnormal weather conditions associated with wildfires. However, whether high latitude climate change can impact Australian fires is largely unclear. In this study, we reveal a robust relationship between Antarctic sea ice concentration (SIC), primarily over the Amundsen Sea region, with Australian springtime fire activity, by using reanalysis data sets, AMIP simulation results, and a state-of-the-art climate model simulation. Specifically, a diminished Amundsen SIC leads to the formation of a high-pressure system above Australia as a result of the eastward propagation of Rossby waves. Meanwhile, two strengthened meridional cells originating from the tropic and polar regions also enhance subsiding airflow in Australia, resulting in prolonged arid and high-temperature conditions. This mechanism explains about 28% of the variability of Australian fire weather and contributed more than 40% to the 2019 extreme burning event, especially in the eastern hotspots. These findings contribute to our understanding of polar-low latitude climate teleconnection and have important implications for projecting Australian fires as well as the global environment.

Optimal Rotation Age in Fast Growing Plantations: A Dynamical Optimization Problem.

Forest plantations are economically and environmentally relevant, as they play a key role in timber production and carbon capture. It is expected that the future climate change scenario affects forest growth and modify the rotation age for timber production. However, mathematical models on the effect of climate change on the rotation age for timber production remain still limited. We aim to determine the optimal rotation age that maximizes the net economic benefit of timber volume in a negative scenario from the climatic point of view. For this purpose, a bioeconomic optimal control problem was formulated from a system of Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs) governed by the state variables live biomass volume, intrinsic growth rate, and area affected by fire. Then, four control variables were associated to the system, representing forest management activities, which are felling, thinning, reforestation, and fire prevention. The existence of optimal control solutions was demonstrated, and the solutions of the optimal control problem were also characterized using Pontryagin's Maximum Principle. The solutions of the model were approximated numerically by the Forward-Backward Sweep method. To validate the model, two scenarios were considered: a realistic scenario that represents current forestry activities for the exotic species Pinus radiata D. Don, and a pessimistic scenario, which considers environmental conditions conducive to a higher occurrence of forest fires. The optimal solution that maximizes the net benefit of timber volume consists of a strategy that considers all four control variables simultaneously. For felling and thinning, regardless of the scenario considered, the optimal strategy is to spend on both activities depending on the amount of biomass in the field. Similarly, for reforestation, the optimal strategy is to spend as the forest is harvested. In the case of fire prevention, in the realistic scenario, the optimal strategy consists of reducing the expenses in fire prevention because the incidence of fires is lower, whereas in the pessimistic scenario, the opposite is true. It is concluded that the optimal rotation age that maximizes the net economic benefit of timber volume in P. radiata plantations is 24 and 19 years for the realistic and pessimistic scenarios, respectively. This corroborates that the presence of fires influences the determination of the optimal rotation age, and as a consequence, the net economic benefit.

Impacts of fire and prospects for recovery in a tropical peat forest ecosystem.

Uncontrolled fires place considerable burdens on forest ecosystems, compromising our ability to meet conservation and restoration goals. A poor understanding of the impacts of fire on ecosystems and their biodiversity exacerbates this challenge, particularly in tropical regions where few studies have applied consistent analytical techniques to examine a broad range of ecological impacts over multiyear time frames. We compiled 16 y of data on ecosystem properties (17 variables) and biodiversity (21 variables) from a tropical peatland in Indonesia to assess fire impacts and infer the potential for recovery. Burned forest experienced altered structural and microclimatic conditions, resulting in a proliferation of nonforest vegetation and erosion of forest ecosystem properties and biodiversity. Compared to unburned forest, habitat structure, tree density, and canopy cover deteriorated by 58 to 98%, while declines in species diversity and abundance were most pronounced for trees, damselflies, and butterflies, particularly for forest specialist species. Tracking ecosystem property and biodiversity datasets over time revealed most to be sensitive to recurrent high-intensity fires within the wider landscape. These megafires immediately compromised water quality and tree reproductive phenology, crashing commercially valuable fish populations within 3 mo and driving a gradual decline in threatened vertebrates over 9 mo. Burned forest remained structurally compromised long after a burn event, but vegetation showed some signs of recovery over a 12-y period. Our findings demonstrate that, if left uncontrolled, fire may be a pervasive threat to the ecological functioning of tropical forests, underscoring the importance of fire prevention and long-term restoration efforts, as exemplified in Indonesia.

Evidence of increasing wildfire damage with decreasing property price in Southern California fires.

Across the Western United States, human development into the wildland urban interface (WUI) is contributing to increasing wildfire damage. Given that natural disasters often cause greater harm within socio-economically vulnerable groups, research is needed to explore the potential for disproportionate impacts associated with wildfire. Using Zillow Transaction and Assessment Database (ZTRAX), hereafter "Zillow", real estate data, we explored whether lower-priced structures were more likely to be damaged during the most destructive, recent wildfires in Southern California. Within fire perimeters occurring from 2000-2019, we matched property price data to burned and unburned structures. To be included in the final dataset, fire perimeters had to surround at least 25 burned and 25 unburned structures and have been sold at most seven years before the fire; five fires fit these criteria. We found evidence to support our hypothesis that lower-priced properties were more likely to be damaged, however, the likelihood of damage and the influence of property value significantly varied across individual fire perimeters. When considering fires individually, properties within two 2003 fires-the Cedar and Grand Prix-Old Fires-had statistically significantly decreasing burn damage with increasing property value. Occurring in 2007 and later, the other three fires (Witch-Poomacha, Thomas, and Woolsey) showed no significant relationship between price and damage. Consistent with other studies, topographic position, slope, elevation, and vegetation were also significantly associated with the likelihood of a structure being damaged during the wildfire. Driving time to the nearest fire station and previously identified fire hazard were also significant. Our results suggest that further studies on the extent and reason for disproportionate impacts of wildfire are needed. In the meantime, decision makers should consider allocating wildfire risk mitigation resources-such as fire-fighting and wildfire structural preparedness resources-to more socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods.

Integrating meteorological and geospatial data for forest fire risk assessment.

Understanding the factors that cause fire is crucial for minimizing the fire risk. In this research, a comprehensive approach was adopted to recognize factors influencing forest fires. Golestan National Park (GNP) was considered as a representative area with a humid climate in this study. Initially, using the Multi-Criteria Evaluation Method, a fire risk map was created by analyzing natural and human factors, and vulnerable areas were identified. Then, the relationship between key elements such as meteorological conditions, Land Surface Temperature (LST), and precipitation, with the occurrence of fire in different years was investigated. CHIRPS and Landsat data were utilized to assess LST changes and precipitation. 23-year changes in fire occurrence areas in GNP were acquired using MODIS products. The results of the data analysis showed that the highest number of fires occurred in forest areas, and in the fire risk prediction map, the extremely high-risk class is completely consistent with the ground truth data. The assigned weights, derived from expert opinions, highlight the substantial significance of elevation, and distance from roads and settlements. Additionally, the effectiveness of the model in providing reliable forecasts for fire risks in GNP is highlighted by the ROC curve with an AUC value of 0.83. Forest fires within GNP exhibit a distinct seasonality, predominantly occurring from July to December. During the warmer months, by coinciding with summer excursions, human activities may contribute to the ignition of fires. In 2013 and 2014, rising fire incidents correlated with elevated temperatures, hinting at a potential connection. GNP fires showed an upward trend with higher monthly LST and a downward trend with increased annual precipitation. The results showed that there is a relationship between LST, precipitation, and the occurrence of fire in GNP. Approximately 176.15 ha of GNP's forest areas have been destroyed by fires over the last two decades. This research demonstrated that there is a dynamic interaction between environmental conditions and fire incidents. By considering these factors, managers and environmental planners can develop effective strategies for managing and preventing forest fire risks.

Pre-contact and post-colonial ecological legacies shape Surinamese rainforests.

Disturbances in tropical forests can have long-lasting ecological impacts, but their manifestations (ecological legacies) in modern forests are uncertain. Many Amazonian forests bear the mark of past soil modifications, species enrichments, and fire events, but the trajectories of ecological legacies from the pre-contact or post-colonial period remain relatively unexplored. We assessed the fire and vegetation history from 15 soil cores ranging from 0 to 10 km from a post-colonial Surinamese archaeological site. We show that (1) fires occurred from 96 bc to recent times and induced significant vegetation change, (2) persistent ecological legacies from pre-contact and post-colonial fire and deforestation practices were mainly within 1 km of the archaeological site, and (3) palm enrichment of Attalea, Oenocarpus and Astrocaryum occurred within 0, 1, and 8 km of the archaeological site, respectively. Our results challenge the notion of spatially extensive and persistent ecological legacies. Instead, our data indicate that the persistence and extent of ecological legacies are dependent on their timing, frequency, type, and intensity. Examining the mechanisms and manifestations of ecological legacies is crucial in assessing forest resilience and Indigenous and local land rights in the highly threatened Amazonian forests.

Investigation on a mobile fire extinguishing approach using liquid carbon dioxide as inert medium for underground mine.

Injecting carbon dioxide is the most effective means of preventing and extinguishing fires in sealing hazardous areas, but the traditional method slowly and remotely injects carbon dioxide gas into the well after gasification on the ground, which is dependent on the complete mine pipe network without cooling effect. To inject liquid directly from the tank with vacuum interlayer and heat insulating powder for rapid inerting and cooling, a new approach using track mobile platform to go deep into the underground mine disaster area is proposed, so the liquid can be delivered to the nozzle at the end of DN40 large diameter pipe, and the continuous gasification jet can be realized. The experimental results show that: (1) The liquid volume in a tank of vacuum degree within 2.0 Pa and 200 mm interlayer reduced no more than 15.5% after 48 days; (2) Taking the pressure in the tank as the power source, because of environmental differences inside and outside the pipe after 100 m pressure holding delivery, the physical form of liquid and gas could be converted instantly; (3) The continuous discharge time without ice blocking for a tank full of 2 m3 liquid was about 10.5 min under 25 L dual mode nitrogen pressurization, which is 1/12 of injection time after ground gasification; (4) Based on the temperature decrease trend measured at different positions, the cooling characteristics on liquid gasification jet path are quantified, and the calculation formula of temperature changing with time on the center line of liquid gasification jet is obtained. Through this new approach, the integration of vacuum insulated storage, safe mobile transportation, and continuous and rapid release with large flow can be achieved for the liquid carbon dioxide.