A multidisciplinary decision support system for forest fire crisis management.

Area of Science:

• Forestry
• Environmental Science
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Background:

• Wildland fires pose a severe and irreversible threat to Southern European forest ecosystems, impacting ecological value and human communities.
• Effective decision-making during large-scale forest fire incidents requires rational, quantitative, and site-specific information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a multidisciplinary system supporting decision-makers during large-scale forest fire incidents.
• To provide rational and quantitative information based on site-specific circumstances and potential consequences.

Main Methods:

• Development of an integrated system combining satellite Remote Sensing, GIS, and RDBMS technologies.
• Implementation of near real-time satellite monitoring and fire forecast modules.
• Inclusion of interactive communication capabilities for enhanced usability.

Main Results:

• The system architecture effectively integrates multiple supplementary modules for comprehensive fire management.
• It can handle multiple fire ignitions, aiding decisions on resource dispatch (utilities, equipment, personnel).
• An operational system was developed and tested for Penteli Mountain, Greece, a high-risk fire area.

Conclusions:

• The proposed system demonstrates effectiveness in supporting decision-making for wildland fire incidents.
• Integration of advanced technologies like Remote Sensing and GIS enhances forest fire management capabilities.
• The system offers a valuable tool for mitigating the impact of forest fires on vulnerable regions.