Forest fire risk assessment

In 90s the Remote Sensing Department - IGiK in collaboration with Forest Research Institute (IBL) in Sękocin conducted a study on the use of low resolution NOAA.AVHRR data for forest fire risk assessment over Poland.

Possibilities of using NOAA.AVHRR satellite images for forest fire risk assessment were investigated within the project. Investigations were concentrated on proving a thesis, that indices derived from NOAA satellite images reflect parameters determining flammability of forest stands, and in consequence these images can be used for forest fire risk forecast. Satellite images were applied to calculate radiation temperature and evapotranspiration, as well as vegetation indices describing changes of spectral characteristics of forest. The main aim of the work was to find out the relations between remote sensing based parameters and meteorological / ground data characterizing flammability of forest areas. The results of the work revealed, that there are in particular good relations between radiation temperature / evapotranspiration of forest stands and moisture of forest litter.

The results of the work are published in:

Karlikowski T., Dabrowska-Zielinska K., Zawila-Niedzwiecki T., Gruszczynska M., Santorski Z., Sakowska H., Janowska M., 1997, The Use of NOAA-AVHRR Images for Forest Fire Risk Forecast, Proc. of the Forest Research Institute in Warsaw, No. 829: 72 pp. (In Polish, English abstract).