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Croatian Journal of Forest Engineering : Journal for Theory and Application of Forestry Engineering, Vol. 35 No. 2, 2014.

Original scientific paper

Analysis of Helicopter Activities in Forest Fire-Fighting

Enrico Marchi orcid id orcid.org/0000-0001-6485-7044 ; Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry System University of Florence Via S. Bonaventura 13, 50145 Florence ITALY
Francesco Neri ; Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry System University of Florence Via S. Bonaventura 13, 50145 Florence ITALY
Enrico Tesi ; Tuscany Region, Sector »Forestry, Promotion of Innovation and EU Community Measures in Agri environment« Via di Novoli 26, 50127 Florence ITALY
Fabio Fabiano ; Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry System University of Florence Via S. Bonaventura 13, 50145 Florence ITALY
Niccolò Brachetti Montorselli ; Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry System University of Florence Via S. Bonaventura 13, 50145 Florence ITALY

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Abstract

In Southern European countries wildfires are the most natural threat to forests and wooded areas. Over the last decade, public and scientific debates on forest fire management have increased.
Helicopters and airtankers are extremely effective fire suppression means, but they are also very expensive. Studies on the improved performance of suppression for the enhancement of firefighting organization are still needed. Consequently to make a plan for the distribution of financial resources to be divided between fire suppression and fire prevention actions in terms of fuel management is not possible. The aim of this study is to compare the helicopter’s forest fire-fighting activity in Tuscany (central Italy) over two periods: between 1998–2000 and 2001–2005 when five and ten helicopters were respectively assigned. For both periods (1998–2000 and 2001–2005) the following were analyzed: the number of forest fires and the burned area with or without helicopter intervention and the position of the helicopter bases in relation to the fire. The results showed that a fleet of 10 helicopters is oversized, in relation to the fire regime of Tuscany, suggesting the need to evaluate a reduction in the fleet. Financial resources may be thus made available for more profitable fire prevention activities, such as, active fuel management. The results also showed where there is the need to improve the helicopter efficiency via the re–management as regards the positioning of their bases.

Keywords

fire-fighting; helicopter; spatial distribution; maps; circular statistics

Hrčak ID:

127009

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/127009

Publication date:

15.9.2014.

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