Decision support for the selection of optimal tower site locations for early-warning wildfire detection systems in South Africa

Heyns, A.M. and du Plessis, W. and Curtin, K.M. and Kosch, M. and Hough, G. (2021) Decision support for the selection of optimal tower site locations for early-warning wildfire detection systems in South Africa. International Transactions in Operational Research, 28 (5). pp. 2299-2333. ISSN 0969-6016

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Abstract

Effective early detection of forest fires can be achieved by specialised systems of tower-mounted cameras. Foresters and locals with intimate knowledge of the terrain traditionally plan the tower site locations – without the aid of computational optimisation tools. However, such knowledge and expertise may not be available to system planners when entering vast new territories. The process of selecting multiple tower sites from a large number of potential site locations with the aim of maximising system visibility of smoke above a prescribed region is a complex combinatorial optimisation problem. We present two recent applications of novel site-selection frameworks for tower-mounted camera-based wildfire detection systems (CWDS), which have been under development with guidance from experts from the South African developed ForestWatch wildfire detection system. A novel single-site search framework determined alternatives for 13 proposed sites in South Africa's Mpumalanga province, of which 6 alternatives were chosen over the initially proposed sites. The system site selection framework was showcased in determining a four-camera CWDS layout in South Africa's Southern Cape – significantly improving on the detection capability of the layout initially proposed by technical experts.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
International Transactions in Operational Research
Additional Information:
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Heyns, A.M., du Plessis, W., Curtin, K.M., Kosch, M. and Hough, G. (2021), Decision support for the selection of optimal tower site locations for early‐warning wildfire detection systems in South Africa. Intl. Trans. in Op. Res.. https://doi.org/10.1111/itor.12928 which has been published in final form at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/itor.12928 This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1400/1403
Subjects:
?? detectionfacility locationmaximal coveroptimisationwildfirecamerascombinatorial optimizationdecision support systemsdeforestationfireslocationsite selectionsmokedecision supportsdetection capabilityearly warningpotential sitesselection frameworksite locat ??
ID Code:
150668
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
12 Jan 2021 15:20
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
11 Aug 2024 23:51