Synoptic weather patterns conducive to lightning-ignited wildfires in Catalonia

Abstract. Wildfires cause substantial losses to socio-economic and natural assets, especially in Mediterranean climate regions. Despite human activity being the main of wildfires European countries, lightning-ignited should also be considered a major disruptive agent as they can trigger large fires. In addition, recent studies on potential change effects pointed out that may gain relevance areas years come. The present study analyses synoptical weather patterns favouring Catalonia (NE Iberian Peninsula). Being able identify with an elevated lightning-ignition survival at daily timescales would great assistance wildfire management agencies, i.e. locating ignitions holdover fires, preparing for days multiple or routing detection flight paths. It is worth noticing one reasons lightning-caused are difficult manage survive several after ignition, emerging later once surface vegetation becomes dry enough support sustained combustion. For this reason, first step, reliable lightning–wildfire association needed properly date time fire starter each wildfire. Afterwards, circulation types ignition analysed. relies dataset 870 wildfires, gathered by Forest Protection Agency autonomous government between 2005 2020. Lightning data were provided Location System operated Meteorological Service Catalonia. Results show related typical synoptic pattern dominated short-wave trough 500 hPa, three distinct associations: thermal low (51 % fires), northern flow (24 %) prefrontal convection (13 %).