Integration of spatial fire risk model results into a decision support system – A case study at Laugarvatn, South Iceland

Iceland is well known for its harsh weather, long winters and frequent geologic activity impacting on the build and natural environment. Although wildfires are rather rare in Iceland, their occurrence might reach a disastrous extent as revealed during the wildfire in 2006. Today, one of the main challenges consist of optimisation landscape planning, disaster and risk management by integrating state-of-art fire models, knowledge in geographical information systems (GIS) and remote sensing. In this study, we present the implementation of simulation results in a decision support system for fire protection. For this purpose, the area of Laugarvatn in South Iceland was selected as a pilot area. Lagarvatn is an ideal pilot area with a high concentration of summer houses and camp caravans surrounded by large-scale natural birch forests. The core of the study is forest fire spread analysis using simulation models and the identification of accessible water sources for firefighting. The input parameters were generated from remote sensing data and GIS databases. Forest types, canopy cover, wind direction and speed and other meteorological variables, topographic feature accelerating forest fire were crucial parameters for producing fire spread probability maps. The fire spread scenario maps, water source maps and road network analysis is one of the critical elements in the decision support system.