Geoinformation analysis of the vegetation cover of the northern regions of the Irkutsk region and its changes under the impact of fires

Abstract

The northern regions of the Irkutsk oblast have been prone to fires in recent decades as a result of oil and gas and infrastructure development, as well as changing climatic conditions. Geoinformation mapping and analysis of the spatial structure of the vegetation cover of two key areas located in the area of the Vershina Khandy village and the village of Tokma for two time slices: 2013–2014 and 2018–2019 (before and after active forest fires, mainly in 2016 and 2017) was carried out. Mapping was done using the Random Rorest supervised classification method, Landsat 8 space images. As a result, 10 classes of vegetation cover were identified on the territory. It is shown that in the territories in 2013–2014 coniferous (light coniferous – pine-larch, larch-pine, less often dark coniferous – cedar and spruce) forests prevailed, as well as mixed coniferous-deciduous and deciduous forests and swamps. From 2013 to 2019, more than 20% of Tokma and more than 5% of Khanda key area was covered by fires. Mostly coniferous forests, as well as ernik bogs in the Tokma area were burning.