Abstract

ABARCA, Oscar I  and  QUIROZ G, José G. Modelado cartografico de riesgo de incendios en el parque nacional Henri Pittier. Estudio de caso: Vertiente sur, area colindante con la ciudad de Maracay. Agronomía Trop. [online]. 2005, vol.55, n.1, pp.35-62. ISSN 0002-192X.

A GIS was used, especially their multi-criteria analysis tools, thus variables such as topography, land use, hydrography, roads and vegetation were digitized. Each one of these variables were processed to generate the criteria of the two main target layers chosen in the evaluation model: ignition risk and propagation risk. The ignition risk target layer is constituted by floors heights, park adjacent land use, accessibility and ignition sensitive vegetation criteria. The propagation risk target layer was evaluated by the slope, propagation sensitive vegetation, wind influences, floors heights, hydrography and firewalls criteria. These criteria were pondered using the Analytical Hierarchy Process and were introduced in the multi-criteria decision rule structured and incorporated into the GIS, generating the risk cartography for each target layer. Finally, the two target layers were integrated to generate the definitive vegetation fires risk cartography. It was found that exist proximately 139 ha with very high risk, 6.186 ha with high risk, 3.695 ha with moderate risk and 728 ha with low risk of fire. At the same time, there were detected areas where it is necessary to apply some practices to prevent and to control this serious environmental problem that affects Maracay city and its surroundings population.

Keywords : Geographical Information System (GIS); ignition risk; propagation risk; multi-criteria evaluation; multi-objective evaluation; Henri Pittier National Park; cartographic modeling; vegetation fires.