Classification of wildfires in relation to land cover types and associated variables by applying cluster analysis: a case study in the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

Wildfires are a major environmental problem that have both economic and ecological impacts. Wildfires typically spread in a particular pattern, determined by factors such as the elements on the ground that catch fire or their geographic location. This study reports and discusses how wildfires in the Valencian Community, Spain, have been spatially grouped in recent years (from 2016 to 2020). It also characterizes each cluster in terms of location and land cover. An exploratory analysis of the environmental variables associated with wildfires has been conducted using finite Gaussian mixture models in R (R package mclust). The primary findings can be used to better understand the types of wildfires that occur in individual spatial zones. Some interesting cluster patterns in specific geographical areas, such as river basins, have also been reported. The method can identify clusters of fires by detecting areas with similar characteristics at the land use level. It also allows for the implementation of measures aimed at reducing the impacts of wildfires and can help in the extinction of wildfires based on the characteristics of all the fires grouped using spatial and land cover dimensions.