Recent Active Wildland Fires Related to Rossby Wave Breaking (RWB) in Alaska
Wildland fires are a common and destructive natural disaster in Alaska. Recent active fires in Alaska were assessed and analysed for their associated synoptic-scale climatic conditions in this study. Hotspot (HS) data from satellite observations over the past 20 years since 2004 (total number of HS...
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MDPI AG
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/15/2719 |
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| author | Hiroshi Hayasaka |
| author_facet | Hiroshi Hayasaka |
| author_sort | Hiroshi Hayasaka |
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| description | Wildland fires are a common and destructive natural disaster in Alaska. Recent active fires in Alaska were assessed and analysed for their associated synoptic-scale climatic conditions in this study. Hotspot (HS) data from satellite observations over the past 20 years since 2004 (total number of HS = 300,988) were used to identify active fire-periods, and the occurrence of Rossby wave breaking (RWB) was examined using various weather maps. Analysis results show that there are 13 active fire-periods of which 7 active fire-periods are related to RWB. The total number of HSs during the seven RWB-related fire-periods was 164,422, indicating that about half (54.6%) of the recent fires in Alaska occurred under fire weather conditions related to RWB. During the RWB-related fire-periods, two hotspot peaks with different wind directions occurred. At the first hotspot peak, southwesterly wind blew from high-pressure systems in the Gulf of Alaska. In the second hotspot peak, the Beaufort Sea High (BSH) supplied strong easterly wind into Interior Alaska. It was suggested that changes in wind direction during active fire-period and continuously blowing winds from BSH may affect fire propagation. It is hoped that this study will stimulate further research into active fires related to RWBs in Alaska. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fd04fde560bd41e6a2122da92252dc96 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj-art-fd04fde560bd41e6a2122da92252dc962025-08-20T03:36:22ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-08-011715271910.3390/rs17152719Recent Active Wildland Fires Related to Rossby Wave Breaking (RWB) in AlaskaHiroshi Hayasaka0Arctic Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 0010021, JapanWildland fires are a common and destructive natural disaster in Alaska. Recent active fires in Alaska were assessed and analysed for their associated synoptic-scale climatic conditions in this study. Hotspot (HS) data from satellite observations over the past 20 years since 2004 (total number of HS = 300,988) were used to identify active fire-periods, and the occurrence of Rossby wave breaking (RWB) was examined using various weather maps. Analysis results show that there are 13 active fire-periods of which 7 active fire-periods are related to RWB. The total number of HSs during the seven RWB-related fire-periods was 164,422, indicating that about half (54.6%) of the recent fires in Alaska occurred under fire weather conditions related to RWB. During the RWB-related fire-periods, two hotspot peaks with different wind directions occurred. At the first hotspot peak, southwesterly wind blew from high-pressure systems in the Gulf of Alaska. In the second hotspot peak, the Beaufort Sea High (BSH) supplied strong easterly wind into Interior Alaska. It was suggested that changes in wind direction during active fire-period and continuously blowing winds from BSH may affect fire propagation. It is hoped that this study will stimulate further research into active fires related to RWBs in Alaska.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/15/2719rossby wave breakingwildland firesynoptic patternsjet stream meanderingblockingeasterly wind |
| spellingShingle | Hiroshi Hayasaka Recent Active Wildland Fires Related to Rossby Wave Breaking (RWB) in Alaska Remote Sensing rossby wave breaking wildland fire synoptic patterns jet stream meandering blocking easterly wind |
| title | Recent Active Wildland Fires Related to Rossby Wave Breaking (RWB) in Alaska |
| title_full | Recent Active Wildland Fires Related to Rossby Wave Breaking (RWB) in Alaska |
| title_fullStr | Recent Active Wildland Fires Related to Rossby Wave Breaking (RWB) in Alaska |
| title_full_unstemmed | Recent Active Wildland Fires Related to Rossby Wave Breaking (RWB) in Alaska |
| title_short | Recent Active Wildland Fires Related to Rossby Wave Breaking (RWB) in Alaska |
| title_sort | recent active wildland fires related to rossby wave breaking rwb in alaska |
| topic | rossby wave breaking wildland fire synoptic patterns jet stream meandering blocking easterly wind |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/15/2719 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hiroshihayasaka recentactivewildlandfiresrelatedtorossbywavebreakingrwbinalaska |