Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Wildfire Regimes in Miombo of the LevasFlor Forest Concession, Central Mozambique

Abstract

Wildfires are an intrinsic and vital driving factor in the Miombo ecosystem. Understanding fire regimes in Miombo is crucial for its ecological sustainability. Miombo is dominant in Central Mozambique, having one of the highest fire incidences in the country. This study evaluated the spatio-temporal patterns of fire regimes (intensity, seasonality, frequency and fire return interval) in the LevasFlor Forest Concession (LFC), Central Mozambique using remotely sensed data from 2001 to 2022. We conducted hotspot spatial statistics using the Getis-Ord Gi* method to assess fire distribution and patterns. The results revealed that 88% of the study area was burnt at least once from 2001 to 2022, with an average burned area of 9733 ha/year (21% of LFC’s total area). Fires were more likely to occur (74.4%) in open and deciduous Miombo types. A total of 84% of the studied area, burned in a range of 4 to 22 years of fire return interval (FRI) over the 21 assessed. Only 16% of the area was affected by high to very high FRI (1 to 4 years), with an average FRI of 4.43 years. Generally, fires are more frequent and intense in September and October. These results highlight the usefulness of remote sensing in evaluating long-term spatiotemporal fire trends for effective fire management strategies and control measures in African savanna ecosystems.