Wildfires are frequently observed in watersheds with a Mediterranean climate and seriously affect the formation and degradation of the forest ecosystem (soil, climate, vegetation, hydrology, and ecosystems) as they cause abrupt changes in land use/cover.This paper presents the analysis of the impact of the catastrophic wildfire that occurred in August 2021 in the wider area of Varybobi, Athens, Greece. First, an analysis over the extent and severity of the fire and its effect on the vegetation is conducted. The history of fires in the specific area is then analyzed and regrowth models are developed based on the historical data using satellite imagery. In particular, the restoration of the area is systematically monitored and spatially mapped using both remote sensing methods and on-site observations. Subsequently, the effects on the soils of the area are analyzed and mapped with systematic on-site measurements, laboratory measurements and remote sensing methods. Based on this information, the effect on the hydrological behavior of the affected area is systematically analyzed. Specifically, the effect of the fire on the increase of direct runoff volume and the flood hazard, as well as on the hydrological balance of the respective drainage basins in assessed. The analysis is conducted in a spatially distributed form to delineate the critical areas in which immediate interventions are required for the rapid restoration of the hydrological behavior of the basin. As a last step, the period required for the restoration of the hydrological functioning of the watershed is assessed based on the vegetation regrowth model.
The 28th IUGG General Assembly (IUGG2023) (Berlin 2023)