A Data Integration Framework with Multi-Source Big Data for Enhanced Forest Fire Prediction

Forest fires pose imminent threats to ecosystems and human lives, necessitating precise prediction for effective mitigation. The challenges include managing extensive big data and addressing data imbalance. This study introduces a data integration framework that integrates data from remote sensing satellites, ground-based weather stations, and other sources to create a comprehensive weather database spanning 18 years in Alberta, Canada. Machine learning methods, including Random Forest, eXtreme Gradient Boosting, and Multi-Layer Perceptron are employed to evaluate forest fire prediction performance, overcoming the challenge of data imbalance through changes in spatial resolution, spatio-subsamping, and downsampling techniques. XGBoost exhibits results with an ROC-AUC score of 87.2% and a sensitivity of 75%.Using meteorological data and fire history improves prediction, demonstrating big data and machine learning’s role in addressing forest fire challenges.