Geospatial and temporal distribution of forest fires as natural disasters

Abstract

Forest fires are one of the most significant threats to modern civilization, the study of which requires complex, comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach. The consequences of forest fires are often devastating to lives, health and property of people, but also to the security of the country and the entire international community. In this regard, in order to more effectively protect and prevent serious disruption of functioning of the society or great human, material and environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected society to cope with the situation, i.e the natural disaster, it is necessary to comprehensively investigate the mentioned natural phenomenon. This paper explains and describes the form, consequences, and temporal and geospatial distribution of forest fires. Using an international database on natural disasters of the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), based in Brussels, with the support of the software package used for statistical analysis (SPSS) and the method of thematic cartography, the authors tried to point to the number, trends, consequences, geospatial and temporal distribution of forest fires in the period from 1900 to 2013, as well as to the need for adequate response of the society to this type of natural disaster.

Šumski požari predstavljaju jednu od najznačajnijih opasnosti savremene civilizacije čije proučavanje zahteva složen, sveobuhvatan i multidisciplinaran pristup. Posledice šumskih požara često su razorne po život, zdravlje i imovinu ljudi, ali i po bezbednost države i čitave međuarodne zajednice. U tom smislu, radi efikasnije zaštite i sprečavanja ozbiljnog poremećaja funkcionisanja društva, odnosno velikih ljudskih, materijalnih i ekoloških gubitaka koji prevazilaze sposobnost pogođenog društva da se izbori sa situacijom, odnosno stanjem prirodne katastrofe, potrebno je sveobuhvatno istražiti navedeni prirodni fenomen. U ovom članku tumače se i objašnjavaju forma, posledice, vremenski i geoprostorni raspored ispoljavanja šumskih požara. Koristeći međunarodnu bazu podataka o prirodnim katastrofama Centra za istraživanje epidemiologije katastrofa (CRED) sa sedištem u Briselu, uz podršku programa za statističku analizu (SPSS) i metoda tematske kartografije, pokušali smo da ukažemo na broj, trendove, posledice, vremensku i geoprostornu distribuciju šumskih požara u periodu od 1900. do 2013. godine, kao i na potrebu adekvatnog odgovora društva na tu vrstu prirodne katastrofe.