Satellite Images and Spectral Vegetation Indices as Auxiliary Tools to Monitoring Fuel Availability in Areas Prone to Wildfire: Study Case in the Northern Region of Portugal

Bárbara Pavani-Biju, Bárbara Pavani-Biju, Bárbara Pavani-Biju, José G. Borges, Susete Marques, Ana Cláudia Teodoro, Ana Cláudia Teodoro

2025

Abstract

Remote sensing data has led to the development of spectral indices for monitoring ecosystems, land surface changes, and water quality. These indices are used in various applications, including agricultural and wildfire monitoring, to understand vegetation cycles and disturbances. Wildfire research focuses on the effects of extreme occurrences, and understanding forest ecology after severe events is crucial for evaluating forest health. Vegetation Indices (VIs) are frequently used in forest and wildfire monitoring studies to account for plant biophysical, biochemical, and physiological characteristics. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR), Normalized Difference Infrared Index (NDII), and Plant Senescence Reflectance Index (PSRI) are indices used to assess vegetation conditions. VIs are valuable resources for monitoring post-wildfire occurrences, as they measure biophysical changes and provide comprehensive monitoring of the affected area, playing a crucial role in assessing the health of forests. Pre-wildfire vegetation conditions monitoring is also important for implementing preventative measures in critical regions to increase wildfire defense and identifying wildland fuels is crucial for improving fuel management actions. This research aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of chosen VIs and fuel models as tools to assess pre-fire conditions, enabling decision-makers to increase wildfire surveillance and landscape resilience in Vale do Sousa, Portugal's northern area. Despite limitations, this approach is valuable, especially in terms of financial or logistical constraints. Moreover, combining VIs with fuel hazard models can improve fuel reduction efforts.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Pavani-Biju B., Borges J., Marques S. and Teodoro A. (2025). Satellite Images and Spectral Vegetation Indices as Auxiliary Tools to Monitoring Fuel Availability in Areas Prone to Wildfire: Study Case in the Northern Region of Portugal. In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Geographical Information Systems Theory, Applications and Management - Volume 1: GISTAM; ISBN 978-989-758-741-2, SciTePress, pages 51-60. DOI: 10.5220/0013249400003935

in Bibtex Style

@conference{gistam25,
author={Bárbara Pavani-Biju and José Borges and Susete Marques and Ana Teodoro},
title={Satellite Images and Spectral Vegetation Indices as Auxiliary Tools to Monitoring Fuel Availability in Areas Prone to Wildfire: Study Case in the Northern Region of Portugal},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Geographical Information Systems Theory, Applications and Management - Volume 1: GISTAM},
year={2025},
pages={51-60},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0013249400003935},
isbn={978-989-758-741-2},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Geographical Information Systems Theory, Applications and Management - Volume 1: GISTAM
TI - Satellite Images and Spectral Vegetation Indices as Auxiliary Tools to Monitoring Fuel Availability in Areas Prone to Wildfire: Study Case in the Northern Region of Portugal
SN - 978-989-758-741-2
AU - Pavani-Biju B.
AU - Borges J.
AU - Marques S.
AU - Teodoro A.
PY - 2025
SP - 51
EP - 60
DO - 10.5220/0013249400003935
PB - SciTePress