Determining the Spatial Location of Lookout Towers in Rapid Forest Fire Detection Using Geographic Information System (GIS)

Degradation of forests by fire has several environmental and socio-economic impacts and causes a disruption in the balance of ecosystems. Thus, rapid identification of fire using fires detection towers is necessary to reduce destructive effects in forests. Therefore, the purpose of this study is the identification of best and optimal locations to install fire detection towers using Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in ArcGIS 10.5 in the part of Sardasht forests with an area of 27,000 ha. In order to provide a uniform distribution of fire detection towers throughout the area, we used unaligned-stratified-systematic-sampling and two square grids with square-length cells of 7.5 and 10 km. Also, for proper access of watchman to the tower, buffers around the road network of the study area at 250 and 500 m distance were produced, and the highest ridges of each square cells and buffer layers which is not placed in croplands and residential areas were selected. Eventually, selected points in each square cells were chosen as a suitable location for installing detection tower, and visibility analysis (using visibility extension in ESRI software) for this points showed that 54.10 and 58.14 percent of study area in 7.5 km square grids and 47.46 and 54.17 percent of study area covered by selected points in 10 km square grids in 250 and 500 m of road buffers. With regards to the proper accuracy of produced maps, results of this research can help to fire detection system planning and management and how to use Geographical Information System to improve resources optimization and early detection effectiveness in different regions of the country.