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

Abstract

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.

Keywords

• Peligro de incendios
• combustibles forestales
• meteorológico
• evaluación multicriterio
• México