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«IZVESTIYA IRKUTSKOGO GOSUDARSTVENNOGO UNIVERSITETA». SERIYA «NAUKI O ZEMLE»
«THE BULLETIN OF IRKUTSK STATE UNIVERSITY». SERIES «EARTH SCIENCES»
ISSN 2073-3402 (Print)

List of issues > Series «Earth Sciences». 2025. Vol 53

Evaluation of the Impact of Climatic, Morphometric, and Geophysical Factors on Thunderstorm-Ignited Wildfires in the Altai Republic

Author(s)

M. Yu. Krechetova1, A. V. Karanin1, N. А. Kocheeva1, A. V. Glebova1

1 Gorno-Altaisk State University, Gorno-Altaisk, Russian Federation

Abstract
The results of a study of the contribution of climatic and geophysical conditions of the terrain to thunderstorm fire danger in the Altai Republic are presented. The research utilized information on natural fires recorded in the Altai Republic from 2016 to 2020. Climatic and geophysical characteristics of fire locations were determined based on SRTMGL3, EIGEN-6C4, EMAG2, WorldClim 2.1 data. Information on lightning discharges was provided by the WWLLN network. Data processing was conducted using factor analysis based on the principal component method. The study revealed that the largest variance (46 %) in the considered data was attributed to differences in climatic characteristics (annual mean temperature, precipitation, and lightning density), which were in turn influenced by changes in elevation above sea level. The first principal component, combining these characteristics, can be used as a comprehensive indicator to classify fires with similar climatic parameters and landscapes. The second largest variance (14.8 %) was determined by annual average lightning density and values of magnetic and gravitational anomalies at fire locations. It was demonstrated that the values of the second principal component reflect an increasing trend in lightning density with higher values of magnetic and gravitational anomalies in the studied area. The application of factor analysis based on principal component method allowed for the determination of typical climatic and geophysical conditions contributing to thunderstorm fires in the investigated territory.
About the Authors

Krechetova Marina Yur'evna, Senior Lecturer, Department of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics. Gorno-Altaisk State University 1, Lenkin st., Gorno-Altaisk, 649000, Russian Federation e-mail: belikovamy@yandex.ru 

Karanin Andrey Vladimirovich, Candidate of Sciences (Geography), Associate Professor of the Department of Geography and Environmental Management. Gorno-Altaisk State University 1, Lenkin st., Gorno-Altaisk, 649000, Russian Federation e-mail: vedmedk@bk.ru 

Kocheeva Nina Alekseevna, Candidate of Sciences (Geology and Mineralogy), Associate Professoк of the Department of Geography and Environmental Management. Gorno-Altaisk State University 1, Lenkin st., Gorno-Altaisk, 649000, Russian Federation e-mail: nina_kocheewa@mail.ru 

Glebova Alyona Viktorovna, Senior Lecturer, Department of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics. Gorno-Altaisk State University 1, Lenkin st., Gorno-Altaisk, 649000, Russian Federation e-mail: alyna.glebova@gmail.com

For citation
Krechetova M.Yu., Karanin A.V., Kocheeva N.А., Glebova A.V. Evaluation of the Impact of Climatic, Morphometric, and Geophysical Factors on Thunderstorm-Ignited Wildfires in the Altai Republic. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Earth Sciences, 2025, vol. 53, pp. 55-69. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3402.2025.53.55 (in Russian)
Keywords
lightning initiated wildfire, thunderstorm activity, morphometric characteristics, geophysical conditions of the area, climatic indicators, WWLLN, Altai Republic.
UDC
502.58(571.151)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3402.2025.53.55
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