Mapping burns and natural reforestation using Thematic Mapper data

Remote sensing techniques are specially suitable to detect and to map areas affected by forest fires. In this work, Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) data has been used to study a number of forest fires that occurred in the province of Valencia (Spain) and to monitor the vegetation regeneration over burnt areas. A reference area (non‐burnt forest) was established to assess the change produced by fire. The radiance in the thermal band (10.4-12.5 μm) and the normalized difference in reflectance between near IR (0.76-0.90 μm) and middle IR (2.08-2.35 μm) were the most suitable parameters to map burnt areas. This index can also be used for monitoring vegetation regeneration in burnt areas. About a month after the fire, the burns show temperatures of 5-6 °C higher than those found in the reference area, and the vegetation index shows negative values whereas the reference area values remain positive. The differences between the burns and the reference area for the vegetation index decrease with time as vegetation regenerates.