Fire is not FireThe next generation of TERN fire remote sensing datasetsPresentation by Stefan W Maier (Darwin Node Leader TERN/AusCover)

Continental coverageSpatial resolution 500mTemporal resolution 8 days4 algorithms (+1 for Victoria) #

2000 - now

Grassland Curing

# Martin et al. (2015)Integrating ground and satellite-based observations to determine the degree of grassland curingInternational Journal of Wildland Fire 24, 329-339

Resolution: 1x1km2 (NADIR), 5x2km2 (edge of swath)Sub-pixel fires get detected, ideal conditions 80-100m2 #

Sensitivity depends on view angle#

Approx. 4 observations per day, cloud permitting (more for higher latitudes, less closer to equator)2000 (2002) - nowFire Radiative Power included as attribute (≠ fire line intensity!)

Thermal Anomalies (Active Fire Detection)

# Maier et al. (2013)Sensitivity of the MODIS fire detection algorithm (MOD14) in the savanna region of the Northern Territory, AustraliaISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing 76, 11-16

Global product generated by NASA, TERN/AusCover reproject & mosaicSpatial resolution 500mMonthly compositesTwo algorithms (MCD45, MCD64)2000 (2002) – nowThree month latency

Burnt Area (NASA)

Continental coverageSpatial resolution 250mApprox. 2 observations per dayAustralian algorithmMonthly compositesAvailable 15th of following month2002 – nowShapefile, GeoTIFF, ERM, ENVI

Burnt Area and Approximate Day of Burn

Burnt Area and Approximate Day of Burn

fire stopped by creek

fire jumped creek

fire jumped creek

daily progression of fire

Continental coverageNumber of fires 1997 – 2011Spatial resolution 1x1km2

Minimum fire size 4km2

Input data: manual mappingusing AVHRR data

Fire Frequency

Maier & Russell-Smith (2012). Measuring and Monitoring of Contemporary Fire Regimes in Australiausing Satellite Remote Sensing. In Flammable Australia: fire regimes, biodiversity andecosystems in a changing world.

Qld coverageSpatial resolution 30mAnnual composite1987 - now

High Resolution Burnt Area

Continental coverageSpatial resolution 250mApprox. 2 observations per dayAustralian algorithmMODIS/Terra (AM) available within 2h, MODIS/Aqua (PM) available within 2 days

Near Real-Time Burnt Area

Fire is not Fire

Fire is not Fire

fire severity, fire patchiness

Northern Australia coverage (north of 21⁰S)Spatial resolution 250mMonthly composites + seasonal compositesAvailable 15th of following month2002 – now

Fire Severity

Edwards, et al. (2015). Measuring and Mapping Fire Severity in the Tropical Savannas. In Carbon Accounting and Savanna FireManagement. B. Murphy, A. Edwards, M. Meyer and J. Russell-Smith. Melbourne,Australia, CSIRO Publishing:169-181.

On-ground transects within fire perimeters:83% (EDS) / 93% (LDS) burnt87% (EDS) / 89% (LDS) of unburnt patches are ≤ 5m

Spatial Scale of Patchiness

Oliveira, et al. (2015). Ecological Implications of Fine-Scale Fire Patchiness and Severityin Tropical Savannas of Northern Australia. Fire Ecology 11, 10-31.

Fraction Pixel Burnt

on-ground sensor pixel

30%

70%

un-mixing

Continental coverageSpatial resolution 250mMonthly compositesAvailable 15th of following month2002 – now

Fire Sub-pixel Patchiness / Fraction Pixel Burnt

Fire Sub-pixel Patchiness (Example)

day-time fire

night-time fire

Fire Patchiness (Statistics West Top End)

Continental coverageSpatial resolution 250/500mMonthly compositesAvailable 15th of following month2002 – nowMODIS land bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, (6), 7 (VIS/NIR/SWIR)Pre- and post-fire reflectance for every fire affected pixel

Post-Fire Reflectance Change

stefan.maier@maitec.com.auhttp://tern.org.au/

http://www.auscover.org.au/http://data.auscover.org.au/xwiki/bin/view/Product+pages/

http://www.maitec.com.au/gallery/fire_animations/

Thanks!