• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.146-156
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• 2016

In this study, we developed a large fire forecasting system using critical weather conditions, such as strong winds and effective humidity. We incorporated information on forest type prior to large fires using an incident case study. The case study includes thirty-seven large fires covering more than 100 ha of damaged area over the last 20 years. Dangerous large fire regions were identified as areas of more than 30 ha of Korean red pine and the surrounding two kilometers. Large fires occur when wind speeds average 5.3 m/s with a maximum of 11.6 m/s and standard deviation of 2.5 m/s. Effective humidity for large fires average 30% with a minimum of 13% and standard deviation of 14.5%. In dangerous Korean red pine stand areas, the large fire 'Watch' level is issued when effective humidity is 30-45% for more than two days and average wind speed is 7-10 m/s. The 'Warning' level is issued when effective humidity is less than 30% for more than two days and average wind speed is more than 11 m/s. Therefore, from now on, the large fire forecasting system can be used effectively for forest fire prevention activities based on a selection and concentration strategy in dangerous large fire regions using severe weather conditions.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2012

Digital Forecast of the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) represents 5 km gridded weather forecast over the Korean Peninsula and the surrounding oceanic regions in Korean territory. Digital Forecast provides 12 weather forecast elements such as three-hour interval temperature, sky condition, wind direction, wind speed, relative humidity, wave height, probability of precipitation, 12 hour accumulated rain and snow, as well as daily minimum and maximum temperatures. These forecast elements are updated every three-hour for the next 48 hours regularly. The objective of this study was to construct Forest Fire Danger Rating Systems on the Korean Peninsula (FFDRS_KORP) based on the daily weather index (DWI) and to improve the accuracy using the digital forecast data. We produced the thematic maps of temperature, humidity, and wind speed over the Korean Peninsula to analyze DWI. To calculate DWI of the Korean Peninsula it was applied forest fire occurrence probability model by logistic regression analysis, i.e. $[1+{\exp}\{-(2.494+(0.004{\times}T_{max})-(0.008{\times}EF))\}]^{-1}$. The result of verification test among the real-time observatory data, digital forecast and RDAPS data showed that predicting values of the digital forecast advanced more than those of RDAPS data. The results of the comparison with the average forest fire danger rating index (sampled at 233 administrative districts) and those with the digital weather showed higher relative accuracy than those with the RDAPS data. The coefficient of determination of forest fire danger rating was shown as $R^2$=0.854. There was a difference of 0.5 between the national mean fire danger rating index (70) with the application of the real-time observatory data and that with the digital forecast (70.5).

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.116-130
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• 2019

In South Korea, forest fire occurrences are increasing in size and duration due to various factors such as the increase in fuel materials and frequent drying conditions in forests. Therefore, it is necessary to minimize the damage caused by forest fires by appropriately providing the probability of forest fire risk. The purpose of this study is to improve the Daily Weather Index(DWI) provided by the current forest fire forecasting system in South Korea. A new Fire Risk Index(FRI) is proposed in this study, which is provided in a 5km grid through the synergistic use of numerical weather forecast data, satellite-based drought indices, and forest fire-prone areas. The FRI is calculated based on the product of the Fine Fuel Moisture Code(FFMC) optimized for Korea, an integrated drought index, and spatio-temporal weighting approaches. In order to improve the temporal accuracy of forest fire risk, monthly weights were applied based on the forest fire occurrences by month. Similarly, spatial weights were applied using the forest fire density information to improve the spatial accuracy of forest fire risk. In the time series analysis of the number of monthly forest fires and the FRI, the relationship between the two were well simulated. In addition, it was possible to provide more spatially detailed information on forest fire risk when using FRI in the 5km grid than DWI based on administrative units. The research findings from this study can help make appropriate decisions before and after forest fire occurrences.