Investigating the Relationship between the Influencing Fire Factors and Forest Fire Occurrence in the Districts of Rompin, Pekan, and Kuantan in the State of Pahang, Malaysia, Using Google Earth Engine.

Yee Jian Chew; Shih Yin Ooi; Ying Han Pang; Zheng You Lim

Forest fires pose a significant threat to ecosystems and human livelihoods. Understanding the role of climatic factors in fire occurrence is crucial for effective fire management and prevention. This study analyses the influences of temperature, precipitation, and wind speed on fire incidents in the districts of Rompin, Pekan, and Kuantan in Pahang, Malaysia. The investigation is motivated by newspaper articles dated early March 2021, which report that the fires in these districts were triggered by an extended period of hot and dry conditions, as highlighted by the Director of the Fire and Rescue Department of Pahang, Malaysia. However, no further investigation or detailed discussion has been deliberated. By examining the historical climatic data and fire incidents, this study aims to investigate the relationships between these climatic variables and fire occurrences. The results reveal that higher temperatures and lower precipitation are associated with increased fire susceptibility due to reduced soil moisture. In contrast, wind speed does not appear to impact fire spread significantly. These findings will undoubtedly provide valuable insights into the complex interactions between climatic variables and regional fire incidents, enabling policymakers and fire management authorities to develop targeted fire prevention and mitigation strategies.

PAHANG; MALAYSIA; FOREST fires; FIRE management; WILDFIRE prevention; FIRE prevention; WIND speed; LOW temperatures; FIRE departments

International Journal on Advanced Science, Engineering & Information Technology, 2023, Vol 13, Issue 5, p1733

2088-5334

Academic Journal

10.18517/ijaseit.13.5.19026