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The main objective of this study is to take a close look at post-fire recovery patterns in forestry areas under different burn severity conditions. We also investigate the time that forestry ecosystems take to recover their pre-fire condition. In this context, this study analyses both the level of severity in Uncastillo forest wildfire (7.664ha), one of the greatest occurred in Spain in 1994, and the pattern of natural recovery in the following decades (until 2014) using annual Landsat time series (sensors TM&ETM+). Burn severity has been estimated by means of PROSPECT and GeoSAIL radiative transfer models following methodologies described in De Santis and Chuvieco (2009). On the other hand, recovery processes have been assessed from spectral profiles using the LandTrendr model (Landsat-based Detection of Trends in Disturbance and Recovery) (Kennedy et al., 2010). Results contribute to a further understanding of the post-fire evolution in forestry areas and to develop effective strategies for sustainable forest management.

This paper presents the methodology used for the development of a fuel map for the African Continent, using FCCS (Fuel Characteristic Classification System). The cartography of the fuelbeds was based on global cartographic information obtained from remote sensing imaging, and the variables associated to each fuelbed were extracted from existing vegetation databases. A total of 75 fuelbeds were developed, and from the variables assigned to each of them, different Fire Potentials were calculated using default environmental variables. These potentials allow the estimation of surface fire behavior, crown fire and available fuel, depending on the characteristics of the existing vegetation.

This paper shows the interest of laboratory hyperspectral measurements to estimate fuel moisture content for fire risk assessment. Measurements were obtained for two Mediterranean forest species over a controlled water stress experiment. The hyperspectral measurements were performed with a Specim camera, sensible to spectral reflectance from 900 to 1700 nm. We calculated the spectral correlation with variations in the moisture content, both for the camera raw bands as well as for those adjusted to the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) sensor. High correlation values were obtained for moisture content measurements and the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), both for Q. suber (r=0.803 with the FMC and r=0.846 for EWT), and for the Q. robur (r=0.705 with the FMC and r=0.802 for EWT). Our work asserts that both parameters can be estimated with appropriate accuracy using satellite images.

En este artículo se muestra la capacidad operativa de la teledetección para responder de forma casi inmediata a la demanda de información en una situación de crisis generada por los incendios forestales que afectaron a Galicia en agosto de 2006. La interpretación visual de imágenes obtenidas por los satélites AQUA/ TERRA-MODIS, con una resolución espacial de 500 y 250 metros, permitió cartografiar las zonas afectadas y obtener una rápida evaluación de los daños, incluyendo una estimación de los niveles de severidad de las áreas quemadas. Las imágenes procedentes del sensor IRS-AWiFS, de mayor resolución espacial (60 metros), facilitaron una evaluación y delimitación más precisa de las áreas quemadas. La información generada fue difundida a gestores, investigadores y público en general mediante una página web y un servidor cartográfico diseñado a tal efecto.