Post-Wildfire Hydrogeochemical Stability in a Mountain Region (Serra Da Estrela, Portugal)

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2026

Authors

Martins, V (Author) Other; Mansilha, C (Author) Other; Melo, A (Author) Other; Ribeiro, J (Author) Other; Marques, JM (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Fire

Vol. 9

Final page: 42

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-01A-YP9

DOI: 10.3390/fire9010042

Abstract (EN): Water from mountain regions is a crucial natural resource because of its major economic, social, and environmental significance. Wildfires may disrupt the normal functioning of the hydrological cycle, limiting water resources for nearby areas and degrading water quality in mountainous regions as contaminants enter water systems from the burning of vegetation and soil. In August 2022, the Serra da Estrela mountain, situated in the Mediterranean biogeographical region, was affected by a large wildfire that consumed 270 km2 of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, often resulting in severe vegetation burn, although the soil burn severity was low to moderate in most of the area. The research objective is to assess the impact of this wildfire on the hydrogeochemistry of groundwater and surface water in the Manteigas-Cov & atilde;o da Ametade sector of Serra da Estrela in the context of a wildfire with limited soil burn severity. Groundwater and surface water samples were collected from October 2022 to September 2023 and were analyzed for pH, Total Organic Carbon, electrical conductivity, major ions, potentially toxic elements, iron (Fe), and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. A stormy event in mid-September 2022, occurring before the first sampling campaign, removed most of the ash layer and likely caused transient hydrogeochemical changes in streams. However, the analytical results from the sampled waters revealed that the post-wildfire hydrogeochemical effects are not evident. In fact, the hydrogeochemical changes observed in groundwater and surface water appear to be primarily influenced by the regular hydrological behaviour of aquifers and streams. The low to moderate soil burn severity, the high soil hydrophobicity, and the temporal distribution of precipitation explain why the hydrogeochemistry was primarily influenced by groundwater flow paths, the types and weathering of local lithologies, soil types, dilution effects following wet periods, and seasonal changes in the tributaries feeding into streams, rather than by post-wildfire effects. These outcomes provide valuable insights for water resource management and for developing strategies to mitigate wildfire impacts in mountainous environments.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 23