Geospatial Model as Strategy to Prevent Forest Fires: A Case Study

Marín Pompa-García, Maico Zapata-Molina, Ciro Hernández-Díaz, Efraín Rodríguez-Téllez

Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango (UJED), Victoria de Durango, México.
Instituto de Silvicultura e Industria de la Madera, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango (UJED), Victoria de Durango, México.

DOI: 10.4236/jep.2012.39120                

Abstract

The forests of the State of Durango have been severely affected by fires in recent years. Early detection of fires through watchtowers is essential. In this work a geospatial model was generated to optimize strategic visualization points, using a GIS environment. Analysis of the area of visibility was developed by integrating a digital model of elevation and a plant cover map. The resulting distribution generates more than 50% coverage of the studied area, in points that were not always the highest. It was concluded that this strategy would permit to increase the efficiency, mainly favoring the communities of pine, whose economic importance would justify the required investment.

Keywords

Viewshed Analysis; Watchtowers; Forest Fires

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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