title: Optimization of the resources management in fighting wildfires.
abstract: Wildfires lead to important economic, social, and environmental losses, especially in areas of Mediterranean climate where they are of a high intensity and frequency. Over the past 30 years there has been a dramatic surge in the development and use of fire spread models. However, given the chaotic nature of environmental systems, it is very difficult to develop real-time fire-extinguishing models. This article proposes a method of optimizing the performance of wildfire fighting resources such that losses are kept to a minimum. The optimization procedure includes discrete simulation algorithms and Bayesian optimization methods for discrete and continuous problems (simulated annealing and Bayesian global optimization). Fast calculus algorithms are applied to provide optimization outcomes in short periods of time such that the predictions of the model and the real behavior of the fire, combat resources, and meteorological conditions are similar. In addition, adaptive algorithms take into account the chaotic behavior of wildfire so that the system can be updated with data corresponding to the real situation to obtain a new optimum solution. The application of this method to the Northwest Forest of Madrid (Spain) is also described. This application allowed us to check that it is a helpful tool in the decision-making process.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Economia y Gestión de las Explotaciones e Industrias Forestales, E.T.S.I. de Montes., Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martin-Fernández
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez-Falero
authors.forename: J Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pérez-González
mesh_terms: D002980:Climate; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003657:Decision Making; D004777:Environment; D005390:Fires; D005544:Forecasting; D016468:Forestry; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011050:Policy Making