A spatial model for assessing forest fire danger in the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains, Mexico

The aim of this study was to develop a model for assessing forest fire danger in a temperate forest located in the state of Nuevo León, Mexico. A spatial multicriteria analysis was conducted in order to integrate and evaluate in a Geographic Information System those variables that influence fire dan...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Carlos Alfonso Muñoz Robles, Eduardo Javier Treviño Garza, José Verástegui Chávez, Javier Jiménez Pérez, Oscar Alberto Aguirre Calderón
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2012-02-01
Series:Investigaciones Geográficas
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.investigacionesgeograficas.unam.mx/index.php/rig/article/view/30099
Description
Summary:The aim of this study was to develop a model for assessing forest fire danger in a temperate forest located in the state of Nuevo León, Mexico. A spatial multicriteria analysis was conducted in order to integrate and evaluate in a Geographic Information System those variables that influence fire danger levels. The structure of the fire danger index included three components. The forest fuels component, generated through the inventory of dead surface fuels loads; the weather index, that was built trough the analysis of maximum monthly mean temperature and total monthly precipitation. The last component of the fire danger index was calculated by assessing social and economic features. The three components were integrated into a decision rule, and monthly maps were created to show the location of forest fire danger vulnerability.
ISSN:0188-4611
2448-7279