Interdependencies Between Wildfire‐Induced Alterations in Soil Properties, Near‐Surface Processes, and Geohazards
Abstract The frequency, severity, and spatial extent of destructive wildfires have increased in several regions globally over the past decades. While direct impacts from wildfires are devastating, the hazardous legacy of wildfires affects nearby communities long after the flames have been extinguish...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Earth and Space Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA003498 |
| _version_ | 1797290156461391872 |
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| author | Farshid Vahedifard Masood Abdollahi Ben A. Leshchinsky Timothy D. Stark Mojtaba Sadegh Amir AghaKouchak |
| author_facet | Farshid Vahedifard Masood Abdollahi Ben A. Leshchinsky Timothy D. Stark Mojtaba Sadegh Amir AghaKouchak |
| author_sort | Farshid Vahedifard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The frequency, severity, and spatial extent of destructive wildfires have increased in several regions globally over the past decades. While direct impacts from wildfires are devastating, the hazardous legacy of wildfires affects nearby communities long after the flames have been extinguished. Post‐wildfire soil conditions control the persistence, severity, and timing of cascading geohazards in burned landscapes. The interplay and feedback between geohazards and wildfire‐induced changes to soil properties, land cover conditions, and near‐surface and surface processes are still poorly understood. Here, we synthesize wildfire‐induced processes that can affect the critical attributes of burned soils and their conditioning of subsequent geohazards. More specifically, we discuss the state of knowledge pertaining to changes in mineralogical, hydraulic, mechanical, and thermal properties of soil due to wildfire with a focus on advances in the past decade. We identify how these changes in soil properties alter evapotranspiration, interception, sediment transport, infiltration, and runoff. We then link these alterations to the evolution of different geohazards, including dry raveling, erosion, rockfalls, landslides, debris flows, and land subsidence. Finally, we identify research gaps and future directions to advance knowledge on how wildfires control the evolution of various earth surface processes and geohazards over time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:16:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a7f0a320316b4a98b871baccc5d34822 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2333-5084 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:16:23Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Earth and Space Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-a7f0a320316b4a98b871baccc5d348222024-02-29T13:15:57ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)Earth and Space Science2333-50842024-02-01112n/an/a10.1029/2023EA003498Interdependencies Between Wildfire‐Induced Alterations in Soil Properties, Near‐Surface Processes, and GeohazardsFarshid Vahedifard0Masood Abdollahi1Ben A. Leshchinsky2Timothy D. Stark3Mojtaba Sadegh4Amir AghaKouchak5Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Tufts University Medford MA USARichard R. Rula School of Civil & Environmental Engineering Mississippi State University Starkville MS USADepartment of Forest Engineering Resources & Management Oregon State University Corvallis OR USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Urbana IL USAUnited Nations University Institute for Water Environment and Health (UNU‐INWEH) Hamilton ON CanadaUnited Nations University Institute for Water Environment and Health (UNU‐INWEH) Hamilton ON CanadaAbstract The frequency, severity, and spatial extent of destructive wildfires have increased in several regions globally over the past decades. While direct impacts from wildfires are devastating, the hazardous legacy of wildfires affects nearby communities long after the flames have been extinguished. Post‐wildfire soil conditions control the persistence, severity, and timing of cascading geohazards in burned landscapes. The interplay and feedback between geohazards and wildfire‐induced changes to soil properties, land cover conditions, and near‐surface and surface processes are still poorly understood. Here, we synthesize wildfire‐induced processes that can affect the critical attributes of burned soils and their conditioning of subsequent geohazards. More specifically, we discuss the state of knowledge pertaining to changes in mineralogical, hydraulic, mechanical, and thermal properties of soil due to wildfire with a focus on advances in the past decade. We identify how these changes in soil properties alter evapotranspiration, interception, sediment transport, infiltration, and runoff. We then link these alterations to the evolution of different geohazards, including dry raveling, erosion, rockfalls, landslides, debris flows, and land subsidence. Finally, we identify research gaps and future directions to advance knowledge on how wildfires control the evolution of various earth surface processes and geohazards over time.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA003498wildfiresgeohazardscascading hazardsdebris flowlandslidesoil erosion |
| spellingShingle | Farshid Vahedifard Masood Abdollahi Ben A. Leshchinsky Timothy D. Stark Mojtaba Sadegh Amir AghaKouchak Interdependencies Between Wildfire‐Induced Alterations in Soil Properties, Near‐Surface Processes, and Geohazards Earth and Space Science wildfires geohazards cascading hazards debris flow landslide soil erosion |
| title | Interdependencies Between Wildfire‐Induced Alterations in Soil Properties, Near‐Surface Processes, and Geohazards |
| title_full | Interdependencies Between Wildfire‐Induced Alterations in Soil Properties, Near‐Surface Processes, and Geohazards |
| title_fullStr | Interdependencies Between Wildfire‐Induced Alterations in Soil Properties, Near‐Surface Processes, and Geohazards |
| title_full_unstemmed | Interdependencies Between Wildfire‐Induced Alterations in Soil Properties, Near‐Surface Processes, and Geohazards |
| title_short | Interdependencies Between Wildfire‐Induced Alterations in Soil Properties, Near‐Surface Processes, and Geohazards |
| title_sort | interdependencies between wildfire induced alterations in soil properties near surface processes and geohazards |
| topic | wildfires geohazards cascading hazards debris flow landslide soil erosion |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EA003498 |
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