This article mentions how satellite derived vegetation index
maps are available to fire stations and fire managers. These maps show Very
High Resolution Radiometer to determine the greenness of an area.
These maps allow fireman and people in the fire business to
know the likelihood of a fire occurring and how much it will spread. This map shows how dry areas in Idaho and
Montana are, versus how green they were or are.
The data is divided by manageable data sets, for example,
regions. This allows one area to focus on their own problems. With the help of
these maps fire managers may be able to stop fires from starting, or at the
very least know where they might spring up.
Burgan, R. E., Hartford, R. A., & Eidenshink, J. C. (1996). Using NDVI to assess departure from average greenness and its relation to fire business.
I wonder if these maps and past maps can be used to predict how harsh the upcoming fire seasons will be to further help fire fighters fight these outbreaks.
ReplyDeleteWhile the implications for application in fighting these fires is the main point of this article I wonder what the other applications could be. Could these maps potentially aid in determining the worst times and areas to plant crops for those in agriculture?
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