Wildfires pose a persistent global challenge, affecting ecosystems, human societies, and the climate. This comprehensive volume, Wildfires: Principles, Management Strategies, and Best Practices, authored by Dr. Ankur Awadhiya, provides an authoritative exploration of the multifaceted nature of wildfires. Drawing from the author’s extensive experience as a forest officer and researcher, the book offers in-depth insights into the science of wildfires, their causes and effects, and the latest advancements in wildfire management. What distinguishes this book is its seamless integration of scientific principles, traditional knowledge, and cutting-edge technology, rendering it an indispensable resource for addressing wildfires in the context of climate change.

Key Features

- Extensive analysis of wildfire principles, encompassing their various types, underlying causes, and global distribution patterns.

- Comprehensive coverage of the multifaceted effects of wildfires on ecosystems, human health, and climate change.

- In-depth examination of strategies for wildfire prevention, detection, suppression, and post-fire restoration efforts.

- Insights into advanced technologies such as satellite monitoring, LiDAR, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and artificial intelligence (AI) in wildfire management.

- Real-world case studies from around the world, including the Yellowstone National Park wildfire and the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve wildfire, provide valuable empirical evidence of wildfire management.

- Practical guidelines for integrating traditional fire management practices with contemporary techniques to enhance wildfire management effectiveness.

This comprehensive resource is meticulously crafted to provide a holistic understanding of wildfire dynamics and management, catering to researchers, environmental scientists, policymakers, and field practitioners. It also serves as a valuable reference for students and educators in forestry, ecology, and environmental sciences. Equipped with rigorous analysis and actionable insights, Wildfires stands as the definitive guide to mitigating the formidable environmental challenges posed by wildfires.

Dr. Ankur Awadhiya (b. 1987) is an IFS officer of 2014 batch borne on the Madhya Pradesh cadre. Trained as an engineer, he earned his B. Tech in Biological Sciences and Bioengineering in 2009 from IIT Kanpur, followed by a Ph.D from IIT Kanpur in 2015, AIGNFA (Honours Diploma) from the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy in 2016 and Post Graduate Diploma in Advanced Wildlife Management (Honours Diploma) from the Wildlife Institute of India in 2018. He has studied Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science from Harvard, Data, Economics and Development Policy from MIT and Remote Sensing from the University of Alaska. He maintains a keen interest in biodiversity conservation, forest management, and research, and is a prolific writer with over 50 publications and 2 patents. He has been a recipient of several honors including the NTSE scholarship, KVPY fellowship,
Vanyaprani Sanrakshan Puraskar, Shri P. Srinivas Memorial prize, K. P. Sagriya Shreshta Vaniki Puraskar, and the S. K. Seth Prize. Besides academics and research, he maintains a passion towards teaching, photography, painting, movie-making, and creative literary pursuits.