title: Global burned-land estimation in Latin America using MODIS composite data.
abstract: This paper presents results of the AQL2004 project, which has been develope within the GOFC-GOLD Latin American network of remote sensing and forest fires (RedLatif). The project intended to obtain monthly burned-land maps of the entire region, from Mexico to Patagonia, using MODIS (moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer) reflectance data. The project has been organized in three different phases: acquisition and preprocessing of satellite data; discrimination of burned pixels; and validation of results. In the first phase, input data consisting of 32-day composites of MODIS 500-m reflectance data generated by the Global Land Cover Facility (GLCF) of the University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland, U.S.A.) were collected and processed. The discrimination of burned areas was addressed in two steps: searching for "burned core" pixels using postfire spectral indices and multitemporal change detection and mapping of burned scars using contextual techniques. The validation phase was based on visual analysis of Landsat and CBERS (China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite) images. Validation of the burned-land category showed an agreement ranging from 30% to 60%, depending on the ecosystem and vegetation species present. The total burned area for the entire year was estimated to be 153 215 km2. The most affected countries in relation to their territory were Cuba, Colombia, Bolivia, and Venezuela. Burned areas were found in most land covers; herbaceous vegetation (savannas and grasslands) presented the highest proportions of burned area, while perennial forest had the lowest proportions. The importance of croplands in the total burned area should be taken with reserve, since this cover presented the highest commission errors. The importance of generating systematic products of burned land areas for different ecological processes is emphasized.
authors: Departamento de Geografía, Colegios 2, Universidad de Alcala, Alcalá de Henares, Spain. emilio.chuvieco@uah.es
authors: Emilio
authors: E
authors: Chuvieco
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Opazo
authors: Walter
authors: W
authors: Sione
authors: Hector
authors: H
authors: Del Valle
authors: Jesús
authors: J
authors: Anaya
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Di Bella
authors: Isabel
authors: I
authors: Cruz
authors: Lilia
authors: L
authors: Manzo
authors: Gerardo
authors: G
authors: López
authors: Nicolas
authors: N
authors: Mari
authors: Federico
authors: F
authors: González-Alonso
authors: Fabiano
authors: F
authors: Morelli
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Setzer
authors: Ivan
authors: I
authors: Csiszar
authors: Jon Ander
authors: JA
authors: Kanpandegi
authors: Aitor
authors: A
authors: Bastarrika
authors: Renata
authors: R
authors: Libonati
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D007843:Latin America