SHORT COMMUNICATION
Prediction of Future Forest Fires Using
the MCDM Method
Saeedeh Eskandari1, Jafar Oladi Ghadikolaei1, Hamid Jalilvand1,
Mohammad Reza Saradjian2
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1Forestry Department, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University,
10th kilometer Sea Road, Sari, Iran
2Remote Sensing Division, Surveying Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Tehran,
Tehran, Iran
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2015;24(5):2309-2314
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
This research was done to predict future forest fires using the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM)
method in District Three of Neka-Zalemroud Forests. We used a fire risk model integrated with the MCDM
method in a GIS framework to map the forest fire risk in the study area. Factors included four major criteria
(topographic, biologic, climatic, and human factors) and 17 sub-criteria. Data of these parameters were collected
and organized in the GIS framework to provide the factor maps. Then the major criteria maps (using
weighted overlay of sub-criteria maps of each criterion) and the fire risk map (using weighted overlay of
four major criteria maps) were provided using the fire risk model. The actual fire data in the study area was
used for cross checking. Results of this study showed the high-risk regions in fire risk map accordance with
the actual fires. It can prove the high accuracy of the MCDM method and the used model to predict future
fires in Hyrcanian Forests of Iran.