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Vulnerability Variables and Their Effect on Wildfires in Galicia (Spain). A Panel Data Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Jaime de Diego

    (Institute of Studies on Migration, Comillas Pontifical University, 28015 Madrid, Spain)

  • Antonio Rúa

    (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Comillas Pontifical University, 28105 Madrid, Spain)

  • Mercedes Fernández

    (Institute of Studies on Migration, Comillas Pontifical University, 28015 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

This paper studied the effect of the socio-economic variables related to social vulnerability on wildfire characteristics (ignitions, hectares burned, and ratio hectares burned/ignitions) in Galicia, Spain. The study recognized that wildfires present threats to people and communities, so actions might be taken to address vulnerabilities in ways that mitigate the negative impacts of such fires. Our final aim was to identify those variables that are relevant to the starting and spreading of wildfires that can help improve the prevention and mitigation of wildfires. Panel data collected over 15 years (2001–2015) for the municipalities of Galicia were used in this study. The results show that vulnerability-related socio-economic factors affect the number of wildfires and the extent of the destruction they cause. Indeed, the progressive abandonment of rural areas is one of the most important problems that increases the occurrence of wildfires. This abandonment is connected to population factors such as aging or low density of population, economic factors such as the decrease in income or low cadastral value, and territorial factors such as the decrease in rustic hectares and ranches. We conclude that prevention and mitigation focused on areas prone to wildfires could be enhanced by taking into account these variables.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaime de Diego & Antonio Rúa & Mercedes Fernández, 2021. "Vulnerability Variables and Their Effect on Wildfires in Galicia (Spain). A Panel Data Analysis," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:10:y:2021:i:10:p:1004-:d:641575
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alan A. Ager & Jeffrey D. Kline & A. Paige Fischer, 2015. "Coupling the Biophysical and Social Dimensions of Wildfire Risk to Improve Wildfire Mitigation Planning," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(8), pages 1393-1406, August.
    2. Barreal, Jesus & Loureiro, Maria L. & Picos, Juan, 2012. "Estudio de la causalidad de los incendios forestales en Galicia," Economia Agraria y Recursos Naturales, Spanish Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 12(01), June.
    3. Melania Michetti & Mehmet Pinar, 2019. "Forest Fires Across Italian Regions and Implications for Climate Change: A Panel Data Analysis," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 72(1), pages 207-246, January.
    4. Jorge Hargrave & Krisztina Kis-Katos, 2013. "Economic Causes of Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon: A Panel Data Analysis for the 2000s," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 54(4), pages 471-494, April.
    5. Kelly Bergstrand & Brian Mayer & Babette Brumback & Yi Zhang, 2015. "Assessing the Relationship Between Social Vulnerability and Community Resilience to Hazards," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 122(2), pages 391-409, June.
    6. Amatulli, Giuseppe & Peréz-Cabello, Fernando & de la Riva, Juan, 2007. "Mapping lightning/human-caused wildfires occurrence under ignition point location uncertainty," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 200(3), pages 321-333.
    7. Jeffrey P. Prestemon & David T. Butry, 2005. "Time to Burn: Modeling Wildland Arson as an Autoregressive Crime Function," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 87(3), pages 756-770.
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