Imagine a tool that lets you briefly “fly over” Bosnia and Herzegovina from above, pinpoint high-risk areas for forest fires, and plan preventive measures in real time! The interactive GIS map of fire susceptibility, created by the Forestry and Environmental Action fea. team isn’t just a static data display—it’s interactive, allowing deep dives into analyzing and identifying key risk factors like climate conditions, topography, and fire history.
Continue reading to learn how this map was developed, the critical phases involved, and how support from the SMART Balkan project and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs contributed to this significant step toward sustainable natural resource management. Get ready for insights into technological innovation that responds to but exceeds the challenges of the modern era.
How was the map-making process organized, and what were the most significant challenges during development?
“The process of creating the interactive GIS fire susceptibility map in Bosnia and Herzegovina was structured through several key phases,” emphasized Lejla Hukić, project coordinator. “First, a comprehensive data analysis was conducted on climate conditions, topography, vegetation, and forest fire history. Then, a methodology for multi-criteria analysis was developed to integrate these data and generate a fire susceptibility map within the geographic information system (GIS). Key challenges during map development included harmonizing various information sources for decentralization, ensuring high data quality, and ensuring that the final product was accurate, useful, and widely accessible to the public. The map-making process was transparent and participatory, involving various stakeholders and promoting collaboration between government and non-governmental sectors. By collectively identifying key data and needs and employing a systematic and methodological approach to map-making, this tool was adapted to meet the actual needs of users.”
How would you describe the importance of the Interactive GIS Fire Susceptibility Map in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
“The Interactive GIS Fire Susceptibility Map is the first of its kind in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” added Lejla. “It is crucial in identifying high-risk areas and planning effective fire management measures. The map-making methodology, which involved multi-criteria data analysis, provides quality and objective information to support informed decisions on forest management and fire prevention. It helps allocate resources to the most critical areas, thereby increasing the efficiency of preventive measures.”
What are the main features of this map, and how can users best use its functions?
“The main features focus on ease of use and interactivity,” emphasizes Hukić. “Users can extract data on areas at risk of forest fires based on criteria such as fire history, average annual temperatures, average humidity, and more, allowing them to access a personalized map for the desired area. Such features can further be used for specific identification of vulnerable areas, analysis, protection planning, and education, as well as for awareness-raising campaigns about the issue of forest fires.”
How can this map contribute to public education about the importance of nature and forest protection?
“The Fire Susceptibility Map provides a visually appealing and interactive display of data on fire-prone areas,” adds Lejla. “Users can easily identify locations at high risk of forest fires and understand the need for preventive measures in these areas. Additionally, the map can serve as an educational tool to raise public awareness through various promotional and educational campaigns about the importance of forest and natural resource conservation and the environmental and community impacts of forest fires. By using the map, the public becomes better informed about the distribution of forest fires and the factors that contribute to their occurrence.”
How has the support from the SMART Balkan project and Norway contributed to achieving your goals?
“The support from the SMART Balkan project and Norway was crucial for creating the Fire Susceptibility Map,” highlights Hukić. “Financial and technical support enabled the engagement of experts and the creation of software tools needed for map development, as well as the integration of the map into a public web platform and promotion of its use among relevant stakeholders in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
Creating tools like the Fire Susceptibility Map in Bosnia and Herzegovina represents a step toward modernizing and digitizing forest fire management. These efforts contribute to long-term improvements in community safety at a time when climate change poses increasing challenges to the environment and society. By creating this map, we add value that helps better understand and address fire risks, enhancing preparedness and response to potential threats.
In conclusion, Lejla states:
“The message we want to send to others is to emphasize the importance of collaboration and transparency in accessing environmental protection data in their projects. Integrating these elements encourages active participation from all stakeholders and facilitates access to key information about potential risks and the need for preventive measures. We also recommend planning projects with long-term sustainability goals and integrated public education to promote lasting environmental awareness. Active partnership with local communities and relevant institutions is also crucial to ensure broader support and project success, with a special focus on knowledge and experience exchange across all areas of operation. We create innovative, smart, and comprehensive solutions through shared knowledge and ideas. Each of us can significantly contribute to environmental conservation and community safety. Educating ourselves about environmental threats and considering individual contributions to environmental protection is important. For more information on this topic, visit our official advertising channels: Web, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram.”
The map is available at the following link.
