Abstract:
This study examines the risk space of wildfires in the forest tracts of the province of El
Tarf (North-East of Algeria). Wildfires have been a nation-wide concern for more than a
decade now, and the various actions taken to prevent and suppress them did not result in a
significant drop in their number or a decrease in the area of burnt land. Measures of punctual
treatment of the visible symptoms of wildfires having reached their limits, this research aims
at designing new forms of operational maps to be used for the management of forest lands in
order to reduce the number and impact of wildfires.
Earth observation satellite data associated with the different types of forest fire
information, once integrated into a geographic information system, have proved to be a
reliable option for monitoring emergencies, identifying areas at risk, and mapping the extent
of the fires.
The geographical database compiled in this work is an extremely useful tool for
understanding and monitoring wildfires and will provide managers and decision takers with
valid arguments to justify their decisions.
