Investigating the views of forest-dwelling communities regarding the causes of the fire crisis in the forests of Chehl Chai watershed in Golestan province

Subject Areas : forest

mouhammadreza shahraki ¹ (Expert of Central Office for Natural Resources and Watershed Management, Golestan province)
ehsan zamanishourabi ² (2- Expert of Central Office for Natural Resources and Watershed Management Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province)
khadige mahdavi ³ (noor)

Received: 2022-08-29 Accepted : 2022-12-08 Published : 2022-12-22

Keywords: development, Fire, Golestan province, Forest,

Abstract :

This research is descriptive-applied and was conducted as a survey by stratified random sampling method. A questionnaire was used to collect data. The validity of the research tool was confirmed using the opinion of experts and specialists in this field, and its reliability was examined based on the results of Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the main variables of the research (0.859). The statistical population of the research also included rural households in three villages of Deruk, Terse and Chamani in the Chehlchai watershed in the province (N = 400), and 200 people were interviewed as a sample size using Cochran's formula. Today, the role and importance of renewable natural resources, especially forest areas, is not hidden from anyone. Forest fire prevention or control is one of the main issues in forest resource management. Many factors are effective in the creation and escalation of forest fires, and the identification of each of them can play a significant role in the management of fire crisis as well as the sustainability of forest management. In this regard, the present research sought to identify the factors influencing the creation of the fire crisis as well as its escalation and development in the forests of the Oghan watershed in Golestan province. This research is descriptive-applied and was conducted as a survey by stratified random sampling method. A questionnaire was used to collect data. The validity of the research tool was confirmed using the opinion of experts and specialists in this field, and its reliability was examined based on the results of Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the main variables of the research (0.859). The statistical population of the research also included rural households in three villages of Deruk, Terse and Chamani in the Chehlchai watershed in the province (N = 400), and 200 people were interviewed as a sample size using Cochran's formula. The findings of the research indicate that the respondents with 74.5% income dependence on the forest, 57.5% were related to natural resources experts. The results showed that extreme dryness of plants and high air temperature, among natural factors, and the remaining of fire and charcoal in the forest and dropping lit cigarette butts in the forest, among human factors, are the highest with an average of 4.63 and 4.36, respectively. They have had the effect of causing fires in the forest. In addition, the respondents consider natural factors to be more effective than human factors in causing fires. As the results show, the type and density of vegetation, size of fire, season of the year, and fire prevention training for people, respectively, with the highest average of 4.77, 4.37, 4.59, and 4.32 of According to the respondents, they were evaluated as the most important variables in the escalation and development of fires in the forests of the region. Also, the findings show that the natural state of the fire site had the greatest impact and the manpower and firefighting facilities had the least impact on the escalation and development of the fire in the studied area. Considering the fire crisis in the study area, which is often derived from economic and social challenges, identifying the views and opinions of local communities in line with the causes and development of fire can help in crisis management planning. Fire should be used in the forests of the province.