An integrated model for multi-period fuel management and fire suppression preparedness planning in forests (Appreciated as the best paper of 14th International Industrial Engineering Conference)

Wildfires are of the forest-related disasters caused by inhumane factors.  Spreading of these fires is due to the increase of the density of flammable plants. Two important approaches to prevent this occurrence are fuel treatment and fire suppression resources preparedness. In this paper, a mixed integer programming model is proposed based on the covering location and assignment problems which seeks fuel reduction over a multi period of time in a forest area, along with fire suppression resources preparedness and dispatch of firefighters in the last period. One of the forest areas in northern Iran was considered to fuel treatment and fire suppression resources preparedness and assuming the growth of vegetation species varies in different parts, the region is separated into distinct and discrete network points. Obtained results of the model solving show an increase in the vegetation cover volume and reduction of the risk of fire.