Fire is one of the agents most used in the suppression of forest areas in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, and, when out of control, it can be responsible for the destruction of extensive ecosystems. In the case of the Corumbataí river basin, SP, fire is one of the main causes of forest fragmentation and degradation. The purpose of this study was to map forest fire hazard for the Corumbataí river basin, using multi-criteria evaluation (Ordered Weighted Average method) using a Geographic Information System. Factors considered important to the study were: slope; aspect; rainfall; proximity to roads; proximity to urban areas; proximity to water; forest fragment neighborhood; and wind exposure. The combination of these factors resulted in a regional fire hazard map for the river basin. The analysis of the area just surrounding the forest remnants (30m) made it possible to determine the fire hazard in each individual fragment. Such map was reclassified into three hazard levels: low, medium, and high. According to this map, approximately 20% of the native forest fragments are classified as high-hazard class; 55% as medium-hazard class; and 25% as low-hazard class. In the current situation of land use/land cover and management, the forest remnants of the Corumbataí River basin are seriously threatened by fire.
Decision Support; ordered weighted average and forest conservation
