Modelling human-fire interactions: combining alternative perspectives and approaches
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Although it has long been recognised that human activities affect fire regimes, the interactions between humans and fire are complex, imperfectly understood, constantly evolving, and lacking any kind of integrative global framework. Many different approaches are used to study human-fire interactions, but in general they have arisen in different disciplinary contexts to address highly specific questions. Models of human-fire interactions range from conceptual local models to numerical global models. However, given that each type of model is highly selective about which aspects of human-fire interactions to include, the insights gained from these models are often limited and contradictory, which can make them a poor basis for developing fire-related policy and management practices. Here, we first review different approaches to modelling human-fire interactions and then discuss ways in which these different approaches could be synthesised to provide a more holistic approach to understanding human fire interactions. We argue that the theory underpinning many types of models was developed using only limited amounts of data and that, in an increasingly data-rich world, it is important to re-examine model assumptions in a more systematic way. All of the models are designed to have practical outcomes but are necessarily simplifications of reality and as a result of differences in focus, scale and complexity, frequently yield radically different assessments of what might happen. We argue that it should be possible to combine the strengths and benefits of different types of model through enchaining the different models, for example from global down to local scales or vice versa. There are also opportunities for explicit coupling of different kinds of model, for example including agent-based representation of human actions in a global fire model. Finally, we stress the need for co-production of models to ensure that the resulting products serve the widest possible community.
Date Issued
2021-09-28
Date Acceptance
2021-09-07
Citation
Frontiers in Environmental Science, 2021, 9, pp.1-23
ISSN
2296-665X
Publisher
Frontiers Media
Start Page
1
End Page
23
Journal / Book Title
Frontiers in Environmental Science
Volume
9
Copyright Statement
© 2021 Ford, Harrison, Kountouris, Millington, Mistry, Perkins, Rabin, Rein, Schreckenberg, Smith, Smith and Yadav. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
License URL
Sponsor
Leverhulme Trust
The Leverhulme Trust
Identifier
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2021.649835/full
Grant Number
RC-2018-023
Subjects
0502 Environmental Science and Management
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
649835
Date Publish Online
2021-09-28