Author Identifiers
Jarrad McKercher
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1416-5677
David Blake
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3747-2960
Eddie van Etten
Publication Date
2024
Document Type
Dataset
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Faculty
School of Science
School or Research Centre
Conservation & Biodiversity Research Centre / Centre for People, Place and Planet (CPPP)
Funders
Edith Cowan University
Description
Increases in consecutive days that meteorological, climatic and biophysical variables combine to influence fire is projecting an increase in fire size and intensity. This prompts investigation into the severity of recent fires to gain a better understanding of the factors that influence fire severity. Using a highly accurate spectral index, a geospatial analysis was undertaken to identify key variables that control the variability in fire severity of the 2021 Wooroloo Bushfire. Random Forest regression and General Additive Model (GAM) were utilised to determine variable importance in modelling fire severity and to create parsimonious models. Elevation and the Soil Dryness Index (SDI) were the two most influential factors in explaining the variability of the fire. Whilst a good variable importance was achieved, the parsimonious Random Forest and GAM models performed poorly, managing to explain 14% of variance (RF) and 17% of deviance (GAM). This work supports reports that the Wooroloo Bushfire was severe, unpredictable, and difficult to control. Further testing into fire behaviour variable interaction and the influence of fire on fire severity should be conducted to determine important variables in modelling fire severity.
Additional Information
The data sheet provided contains the random point location extracted numerical data from a variety of environmental, meteorological and fire-related dataset. Together with this data set is the statistical analysis files used to implement the Random Forest Regression, Generalised Additive Models, and Principal Component Analysis in R.
Research Activity Title
Masters by Research Chapter 4 - Important Factors Contributing to the Burn Severity of the 2021 Wooroloo Bushfire
Research Activity Description
This work was conducted as part of a data chapter for a Masters by Research degree.
Methodology
Geographical information systems - random point location data extraction from a variety of spatial data sets.
Start of data collection time period
2022
End of data collection time period
2023
File Format(s)
Microsoft Excel, R Script
File Size
376 kb
Viewing Instructions
Access to R and Microsoft Excel
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Contact
j.mckercher@ecu.edu.au
Citation
McKercher, J., van Etten, E., & Blake, D. (2024). Important factors contributing to the burn severity of the 2021 Wooroloo bushfire. Edith Cowan University. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/datasets/140