Development of a 3D Web-GIS Decision Support Platform for Forest Fire Management Using Remote Sensing Data

Forest fires represent a major threat to natural ecosystems, causing severe environmental, economic, and social damage. Remote sensing and Web GIS platforms offer effective solutions for fire risk monitoring and emergency decision support. This study presents the development of a 3D web-based decision support platform for forest fire management, applied to the Sidi Bel Abbès region (northwestern Algeria) over the period 2000–2022. The platform integrates multi-source data to identify and map forest fire risk areas, including land cover maps, spectral indices (NDVI and NBR for vegetation condition and burn severity), historical fire hotspot records, and a 3D digital elevation model from which slope is derived. In addition to risk assessment, the platform incorporates operational data for fire management and firefighting operations, such as 3D-modeled water supply points (wells), precipitation data for drought–fire relationship analysis, road networks, and least-cost path algorithms to support fast response and field interventions. These datasets are combined within a multi-criteria framework to facilitate emergency planning, optimize access routes to fire-prone areas, and improve resource allocation during fire events.

Preliminary validation against historical fire events and ground truth records in the Sidi Bel Abbès zone—based on static risk factors (slope, vegetation cover, accessibility, and proximity to water resources)—shows good agreement in identifying high-risk areas. The platform delivers an innovative decision-support tool for forest managers and civil protection services, enabling fire prevention, monitoring, and optimized emergency response.