Pyro-Geography of the Greek Landscape

Greece is endowed with a multitude of Mediterranean-type vegetated ecosystems, ranging from low shrubs and coniferous woodlands on coastal sites to high-elevation conifer and broadleaf forests. Fire plays a critical role on how these ecosystems are formed and function, which in turn influences landscape dynamics. Due to the mountainous topography, human influence after thousands of years of land use, numerous islands, extensive coastlines, and local microclimates, we find either broad zones with similar fire-related characteristics or enclaves where unique interactions with landscape fires prevail. This chapter describes regional fire patterns as formed by different combinations of topography, weather, vegetation, and humans. A historical context for this analysis is provided by summarizing key vegetation cover types and how their recent wildfire activity was shaped by human-landscape interactions. In addition, we introduce the concept of fire regimes and how they can be potentially mapped and drive fire management policies. We illustrate how wildfires should be managed for each fire regime based on their fuel loadings and expected fire effects. Finally, we briefly review future implications on wildfire management from the cumulative effects of climate change, urban sprawl, land abandonment, and expansion of unmanaged forest regrowth.