A GIS based method for indexing the broad-leaved forest surfaces by their wildfire ignition probability and wildfire spreading capacity

Abstract

This article presents a method useful for indexing the broad-leaved forest surfaces by their wildfire ignition probability and wildfire spreading capacity at a coarse spatial scale. The framework consists of three phases; inventory, analysis, and indexing. First, the study utilizes a multi-criteria inventory procedure investigating the existing broad-leaved forest areas of the landscape based on a variety of social, environmental, and physical parameters. Beyond the statistical inventory records, the research brings forward a division between ignition probability and spreading capacities of wildfire events during the analysis phase. At this stage, particular criteria figures out to have higher impact in either ignition or spreading phases of wildfire event. At the final phase, the model is aiming to generate indexing maps categorizing the broad-leaved forest surfaces by their Wildfire Ignition Probability Index and Wildfire Spread Capacity Index. Broad-leaved forest landscape patch as derived via CORINE Land Cover data, is converted into a raster data with a pixel size of 500 m (25 ha). The centroid of each pixel act as the reference point for all measurements during all phases of the study. The presented method is aimed to be of assistance in decision making and management processes of Disaster Risk Management and Fire Safety (DRMFS) agendas at landscape scale.