PHAROS – successful demonstration of a system solution for catastrophe management during forest fires in Catalonia

All-rounder PHAROS: arrangement of situation reports, decision-making tools, communications platform

With PHAROS, situational data can be comprehensively recorded, collected, processed and distributed. It serves as a communication platform for the various crisis task forces, and can also be used to warn the local population. Simulation modules integrated into PHAROS can show how a disaster (for example a forest fire) will develop. A support system for decision making, PHAROS assists operation managers in making decisions and in planning and developing measures for fighting the fire or protecting the population. Sources of information are flexibly integrated into the system. Satellites provide up-to-date, large-scale maps and detect things such as pockets of fire through the smoke in otherwise inaccessible dangerous areas. GPS devices show the locations of the aid workers on site; local land registries provide information on existing infrastructures and safety hazards. The data and sensor information is complemented with simulation-based analyses and predictions, such as weather and propagation models. The overall view provided by this information enables endangered properties and infrastructures to be identified in good time and counter-measures to be implemented.

Strength of the modular system demonstrated under real conditions

For the exercise, several DLR developments were combined in PHAROS at once, such as the 4K camera system developed under DLR Project Projekt VABENE ++. This was mounted on the DLR BO 105 research helicopter helicopter for the demonstration in Solsona. The system uses sensors from three digital SLR cameras that can image a particularly wide area due to their differing viewing angles and, from an altitude of 750 metres, can provide a ground resolution of around 10 centimetres. Images of the fire zone are taken at intervals of a few seconds, immediately corrected on board using the aircraft's GPS and movement data and a terrain model, equalised and sent to a ground station via a microwave data link. Within seconds, the experts on site receive the geo-referenced aerial images on their terminal devices. They can then use the data to accurately determine the sources of the fire and its progress. In addition to the DLR development, the FireWatch camera system, which was developed by partners, was used. It consists of several rotating cameras linked into a single system that can observe extensive forest areas. They also detect small fires reliably and pinpoint their location.

Warning the population

In addition to the situational report and decision-making support, PHAROS offers the possibility of warning the local population promptly and continuously. A specially developed app informs the inhabitants of the hazards and measures to take. The modular design of PHAROS enables additional communication channels to be easily added. Various methods of doing so were investigated in the project, such as cell broadcasting, which enables a more accurate localisation of the recipients, or global satellite navigation systems. The limited capacity of satellite navigation systems for the transmission of messages is made possible with an efficient communication protocol together with predefined ‘Alerting Libraries’. Alerting Libraries allow warning messages to be sent to the affected population with one click. PHAROS does this in multiple languages. Alerts can be automatically translated and issued as voice output. Hence the system is suitable for use in any country in Europe.

Cooperation partners