On an optimization model for firefighting helicopter planning

During a wildfire, the work of the aerial coordinator is crucial for the control of the wildfire and the minimization of the burned area and the damage caused. Since it could be very useful for the coordinator to have decision-making tools at his/her disposal, this framework deals with an optimization model to obtain the optimal planning of firefighting helicopters, deciding the points where the aircraft should load water, the areas of the wildfire where they should work, and the rest bases to which each helicopter should be assigned. It was developed a Mixed Integer Linear Programming model which takes into account the configuration of helicopters, in closed circuits, as well as the flight aerial regulations in Spain. Due to the complexity of the model, two algorithms are developed, based on the Simulated Annealing and Iterated Local Search metaheuristic techniques. Both algorithms are tested with real data instances, obtaining very promising results for future application in the planning of aircraft throughout a wildfire evolution.