Assessing the relationship between climate and patterns of wildfires in Ghana

Daniel Luke Kpienbaareh

Abstract


Wildfires are a common occurrence in many areas with a distinct dry season. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between wildfires (bushfires) and the climate in Ghana. I establish the correlation between fire data, mean monthly temperatures and average monthly precipitation. I also assess the pattern of wildfire occurrence in Ghana with respect to the pattern of movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Using climate data for period November 2000 to March 2010 at a 0.5o by 0.5o resolution, from the University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit (UEA CRU TS3.23), and MODIS Climate Modelling Grid (MOD14CMH) Active Fire Products at a 0.25o by 0.25o resolution, obtained from the Active Fire Products data  maintained by the University of Maryland, also from November 2000 to March 2010, it was found there is no meaningful correlation between the fire data and individual mean monthly temperatures and average monthly precipitation. However, there is a strong relationship between the pattern of fire occurrence and the pattern of movement of the ITCZ in Ghana. I conclude that there is a strong relationship between wildfire occurrence and climate in Ghana based on the closeness of the relationship between the movement of the ITCZ and the pattern of wildfire occurrence.


Keywords


ITCZ, harmattan, bushfires/wildfires

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References


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