Navigate

There are many sensors and platforms used in forest fires detection. Some of these are:

AVHRR
Located on NOAA Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites, AVHRR (Very High Resolution Radiometer) measures electromagnetic radiation reflected and emitted from Earth's objects. It was originally intended only as a meteorological satellite system but it does have applications for fire monitoring. AVHRR remotely senses cloud cover and sea surface temperature, enabling its visible and infrared detectors to observe trends in vegetation, clouds, shorelines, lakes, snow and ice. For fire monitoring, AVHRR visible bands can detect smoke plumes and burnt area. The thermal infrared band can detect hotspots, active fires. Its ability to detect fires is greater at night, since the system can confuse active fires with heated ground surfaces, such as beach and asphalt.

AVHRR
Band	Range (mm)
1	0.5 – 0.68
2	0.752 – 1.1
3	3.55 – 3.93
4	10.3 – 11.3
5	11.5 – 12.5

ATSR
Along-Track Scanning Radiometer is launched on board the European Remote Sensing (ERS). It carries four bands, one visible at 1.6 mm and three thermal bands at 3.7mm, 11mm, and 12mm. Similar to AVHRR, ATSR-2 images the earth's objects from space with a spatial resolution up to 1km.

ATSR
Band	Range (mm)
1	0.5 – 0.68
2	0.752 – 1.1
3	3.55 – 3.93
4	10.3 – 11.3
5	11.5 – 12.5

MODIS
The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument, which was launched on the Terra platform December 18th, 1999, is the first sensing system with fire monitoring in its design. The MODIS has thirty six different wavelengths of the spectrum, ranging from visible to thermal infrared light, moderate spatial resolution, and near daily global coverage to observe and monitor the surface of the Earth. Advantages:
This instrument provides a new and improved capability over existing sensors in terms of fire monitoring. The MODIS is able to detect large fires anywhere on the surface of the world. The total field of view of the MODIS is plus to minus 55 degrees, providing a viewing swath width of 2,330 km and views the entire surface of the Earth every one to two days. Its detectors measure 36 carefully chosen spectral bands between 0.405 and 14.385 µm, and it acquires data at three spatial resolutions -- 250m, 500m, and 1,000m.
The MODIS can detect at resolution four times greater than AVHRR 1km versus 4 km. It can see burn scars at even higher resolution, 250m. With help of several spectral channels, the instrument is able to see the smoke more clearly. Additionally, satellite, Terra itself provides extra advantage. It orbits over area in the morning. Since, typically there is less cloud in the morning; MODIS gets more shots than AVHRR

Landsat
The series of Earth-observing satellites monitor changes and characteristics on the Earth's surface at high spatial resolution (up to 15m per pixel). The first Landsat satellites housed the Multispectral Scanner (MSS) which was only capable of detecting burnt areas. Current Landsat series satellites use the Thematic Mapper ™ and Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) to provide land surface information. The seven bands monitor different types of Earth resources over a wide area (91 North and 81 South latitude). As in most of the fire monitoring satellites, the thermal band enables the system to detect active fires. Landsat can provide high-resolution images. But it only visits the same spot after 14, because of this, its coverage is infrequent.

GEOS
Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites have five bands, one visible and four infrared. They are stationed in orbits that remain fixed over one spot above the earth, providing continuous coverage. GOES acquire images every 15-30, at up to 1km resolution in visible light, for the detection of some, and 4km resolution in thermal infrared to directly detect the heat of fires.

TRMM
Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission carries a high-resolution sensor similar to AVHRR, called the Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS). VIRS is capable of spotting active fires as well as burn scars. It has five bands from visible to infrared (.63-12mm) that provide 2km resolution. As its name implies, TRMM is primary to measure rainfall over the area covered from 30 degrees South to 30 degrees North, on land and ocean. In addition to its very advanced ability of monitoring clouds and precipitation, it can detect and predicate lighting. Since lighting is the major cause in forest fires around the world, TRMM can identify areas that may be particularly susceptible to wildfire outbreaks.