Leveraging the next generation of spaceborne Earth observations for fuel monitoring and wildland fire management
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Managing fuels is a key strategy for mitigating the negative impacts of wildfires on people and the environment. The use of satellite‐based Earth observation data has become an important tool for managers to optimize fuel treatment planning at regional scales. Fortunately, several new sensors have been launched in the last few years, providing novel opportunities to enhance fuel characterization. Herein, we summarize the potential improvements in fuel characterization at large scale (i.e., hundreds to thousands of km 2 ) with high spatial and spectral resolution arising from the use of new spaceborne instruments with near‐global, freely‐available data. We identified sensors at spatial resolutions suitable for fuel treatment planning, featuring: lidar data for characterizing vegetation structure; hyperspectral sensors for retrieving chemical compounds and species composition; and dense time series derived from multispectral and synthetic aperture radar sensors for mapping phenology and moisture dynamics. We also highlight future hyperspectral and radar missions that will deliver valuable and complementary information for a new era of fuel load characterization from space. The data volume that is being generated may still challenge the usability by a diverse group of stakeholders. Seamless cyberinfrastructure and community engagement are paramount to guarantee the use of these cutting‐edge datasets for fuel monitoring and wildland fire management across the world.
DOI: 10.1002/rse2.416
Institutions: Goddard Space Flight Center, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Florida, US Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Research Station, University of Exeter, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park
Language: English
Topic: Fire effects on ecosystems
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDGs: Life on land, Climate action
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,260
Funders: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, English Institute of Sport, Goddard Space Flight Center, U.S. Forest Service, University of Colorado Boulder, Rocky Mountain Research Station
OpenAlex ID: W4401668719