AAAS - Mapping Fire Frequency in Nepal Using Remote Sensing

Written by AAAS Tuesday, 10 January 2012 12:03

Fire is integral component of environmental systems throughout the world, including the Himalayas. Understanding fire patterns is essential to effective natural resource management, especially given predicted increases in fire frequency and severity as the Earth’s climate changes. The Himalayan country of Nepal is susceptible to the consequences of uncontrolled fires due to political events in the country that have crippled coordinated resource management. MODIS satellite data from 2000 - 2010 was used to generate spatial and temporal statistics describing the characteristics of fire in Nepal. Elevation, moisture, seasonality, and other spatiotemporal characteristics were used to describe the pattern of fires. Areas with human influence, particularly agriculture and grazing, experienced more burned area overall if sufficient fuels were available to burn. Fires occurred more frequently during springs and winters due to the influence of the Asian Monsoon during the hottest summer months. Conservation areas were also particularly susceptible to fires, raising doubts about the effectiveness of resource management strategies. Read More

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AAAS - Mapping Fire Frequency in Nepal Using Remote Sensing

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