Remote Sensing in Monitoring Forest Fires and Other Disturbances

Dear Colleagues,

Analysing the relationship between forest fires and land cover, it can be noticed that burnt areas occurred in forest areas, agricultural areas, brush and human structures. As a result, there occurs a loss of trees, agricultural plots and bush areas, with the consequent impacts on the environment and wildlife.

Subsequently, a phenomenon of water erosion, wind erosion and the establishment of plant species with invasive behaviour occurs.

Considering that the occurrence of forest/rural fires has been intensifying, occurring in territories that were not normally affected by these phenomena and that the size of the burned area has also been increasing in the last decade, it is important to map burned areas and analyse what has been lost and what has regenerated in the post-fire environment.

Remote sensing, especially using satellite images, in combination with geographic information systems (GISs), is an excellent working tool. Considering that both NASA and ESA allow free access to Landsat and Sentinel 2 images, respectively, and that any user can download free software for processing georeferenced information, the conditions have been met for the real-time monitoring of burned areas and the study of the dynamics of land use and occupation concerning what has been burned and what grew or occurred in these areas.

Thus, the use of remote sensing techniques in the form of satellite images in combination with geographic information systems enables the analysis and monitoring of forest/rural fires as well as other disturbances that occur in forests.

This Special Issue invites the presentation of manuscripts that use remote sensing technologies, data collection, and image processing methodologies that can be successfully applied in pre-fire mapping and post-fire damage assessment, as well as for the monitoring of other disturbances of forest environments that result from forest fires.

Prof. Dr. José Aranha
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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