Life with Forest fire on the example of Leuk (VS) 2003
Author(s)
Wohlgemuth, Thomas
Brigger, Alban
Gerold, Philipp
Laranjeiro, Lucinda
Moretti, Marco
Moser, Barbara
Schmatz, Dirk
Schneiter, Gustav
Sciacca, Stephane
Sierro, Antoine
Weibel, Patrick
Zumbrunnen, Thomas
Conedera, Marco
Date issued
2012
In
Vierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zuerich
Vol
3-4
No
157
From page
97
To page
106
Abstract
The forest burn of Leuk in the summer of 2003 was the largest fire event for the last 100 years in the Rhone valley of the canton of Valais. It serves to demonstrate the various effects of the stand-replacing fire on flora and fauna. In the report, we document the fire event and the consecutive urgent measures taken by the forest service, put into perspective the Leuk burn and other forest fires in Switzerland, analyse the changes in site conditions and the related development of biodiversity and tree regeneration. In respect to climate change, we discuss the forest fire risk and present the forest fire strategy of the Canton Valais.
Publication type
journal article