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Landsat-Based Burn Extent and Severity Mapping

This collaborative project will use the Digital Earth Australia (DEA) data infrastructure to develop an automated algorithm for automated mapping of burnt area extent from DEA Landsat that is suitable for Australia-wide deployment, and can be used to determine burn severity and fire frequency.

Some states have automated or semi-automated methods for rangeland burn extent mapping. However, in forests, burnt area extent and burn severity mapping is currently usually done ad hoc after major events.

Data used in mapping normally include satellite imagery enhanced with on-ground mapping and insights, using mapping techniques that are fine-tuned to suit the characteristics of the event and data. This approach produces appropriate results for the event at hand, but does not produce a longer burn history, which is needed to understand current and future fire risk.

There is a clear need for automated techniques for mapping burnt area extent and severity and fire risk that can be applied anywhere in Australia, including in woody vegetation systems. Continuous mapping of burnt area will also help to inform and attribute land cover change mapping carried out by state and Commonwealth agencies (e.g. NCAS).

Project Objective: To develop automated algorithms that use data contained in the Digital Earth Australia data infrastructure to map burnt area extent in a manner that is suitable for Australia- wide operationalisation, with a focus on woody vegetation. The method and data will be validated against events for which independent spatial data are available. Techniques will be developed to calculate fire frequency from the burnt area extent mapping.