Valendik E.N., Kisilyakhov E.K., Ponomarev E.I., Kosov I.V., Lobanov A.I., Dugarjav Ch. The Nature of Steppe Fires in Siberia and Mongolia

The nature of catastrophic steppe fires in Siberia, which in recent decades have been spread over thousands of hectares each year, leading to economic losses, and losses of lives and livestock, is being considered. The paper follows spring (March–May) steppe and forest-steppe fires using satellite monitoring data. In the 10-year time interval of 2008–2017 a positive logarithmic trend in annual burned area of steppe fires has been identified. The trend in the number of fires is characterized by periodic variations in relation to the average values, which do not seem to increase. It has been shown that in today's context the occurrence and spread of catastrophic steppe fires in Siberia are determined by the anomalies of hydrometeorological conditions. Also, natural and anthropogenic factors that cause the occurrence and spread of steppe fires are analyzed. A system of prevention is discussed, as well as technological solutions for the protection of settlements and facilities. It is proposed to focus attention not only on the immediate control of fires and the elimination of their effects, but also on the implementation of comprehensive preventive measures to aim at specific economic targets. As an example a technology is proposed to construct fire control barriers that would prevent the spread of steppe fires and scattering of burning particles to residential and structural settlements. These measures should have a positive effect on the national economy by significantly reducing the cost of rebuilding settlements after fires, saving lives, livestock and infrastructure.