Near Real Time Burnt Scars Monitoring using MODIS in Thailand

A new methodology to detect forest fire burnt scars at near real time using MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data is presented here with a goal of introducing a new and improved capability to detect forest fire burnt scars in Thailand. This new technology is expected to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the forest fire tackling resources distribution and management of the country. Using MODIS data in burnt scars detection has two major advantages - high availability of data and high resolution per performance ratio. Results prove the near real time algorithm suitable and working well in order to monitor the forest fire dynamic movement. The algorithm is based on the threshold separated linear equation of burnt and un-burnt. A ground truth experiment confirms the burnt and un-burnt? areas characteristics (temperature and NDVI). A threshold line on a scatter plot of Band I and Band 2 is determined to separate the burnt from un-burnt pixels. The different threshold values of NDVI and temperature use to identify pixels' anomaly, abnormal low NDVI and high temperature. The overlay (superimpose) method is used to verify burnt pixels. Since forest fire is a dynamic phenomenon, MODIS burnt scars information is suiting well to fill in the missing temporal information of LANDSAT for the forest fire control managing strategy in Thailand. This study was conducted in the Huai-Kha-Kaeng (HKK) Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand