Megaincendios 2020 en Córdoba: Incidencia del fuego en áreas de valor ecológico y socioeconómico

M. Cecilia Naval Fernández; Jimena Albornoz; Laura M. Bellis; Carolina Baldini; Julieta Arcamone; Luna Silvetti; M. Paula Álvarez; Juan P. Argañaraz

doi:10.25260/EA.23.33.1.0.2120

Authors

M. Cecilia Naval Fernández Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales ‘Mario Gulich’ (CONAE-UNC), CONICET. Falda del Cañete, Córdoba, Argentina
Jimena Albornoz Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales ‘Mario Gulich’ (CONAE-UNC), CONICET. Falda del Cañete, Córdoba, Argentina. Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica
Laura M. Bellis Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales ‘Mario Gulich’ (CONAE-UNC), CONICET. Falda del Cañete, Córdoba, Argentina. Cátedra de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Córdoba, Argentina
Carolina Baldini Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales ‘Mario Gulich’ (CONAE-UNC), CONICET. Falda del Cañete, Córdoba, Argentina
Julieta Arcamone Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales ‘Mario Gulich’ (CONAE-UNC), CONICET. Falda del Cañete, Córdoba, Argentina
Luna Silvetti Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales ‘Mario Gulich’ (CONAE-UNC), CONICET. Falda del Cañete, Córdoba, Argentina
M. Paula Álvarez Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales ‘Mario Gulich’ (CONAE-UNC), CONICET. Falda del Cañete, Córdoba, Argentina
Juan P. Argañaraz Instituto de Altos Estudios Espaciales ‘Mario Gulich’ (CONAE-UNC), CONICET. Falda del Cañete, Córdoba, Argentina

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.23.33.1.0.2120

Keywords:

protected natural areas, native forests, lockdown, Gran Chaco Americano, large fires, pandemic, 18S rRNA gene

Abstract

In 2020, the Sierras of Córdoba suffered the most extreme fire season in recent collective memory, causing severe ecological and socioeconomic damage. In this study, we mapped the fires of 2020 using Sentinel 2 imagery, we compared the season with historical statistics from 1987-2019 in terms of number of fires, burned area, fire size distribution and fire frequency. Additionally, we analyzed fire incidence in areas of ecological value (protected natural areas [PNA], priority areas for biodiversity conservation [CPA] and native forests protected by Federal Law [#26331/07]) and in areas of socioeconomic value (productive and residential lands, considering their tax value). In 2020, nearly 291866 ha burned in the Sierras of Córdoba —becoming the fire season with the second largest burned area in 34 years—, with a record of 5 megafires (≥10000 ha). Many burned areas had fire return intervals from 3 to 9 years on average, constituting as hotspot regions of fire in our study area. Flames affected more than 5% of PNA, 12% of CPA and 12% of forests protected by federal law. Fires affected mainly the rural areas, and to a lesser extent, urban lands with tax values of AR$8677 and 24592 million, respectively. Extreme drought and fuel availability were determinants for the occurrence of megafires, while the pandemic lockdown suggests that fires were not set by negligent urban inhabitants. The damages caused by the 2020 megafires and the possibility of similar scenarios in the future require policies towards an integral management of the fire issue in Córdoba province.

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