L-band microwave-retrieved fuel temperature predicts million-hectare-scale destructive wildfires
The 2014 Northwest Territories fires are one of the largest wildfires in history. However, it is difficult to explain what caused such devastating wildfires simply with meteorological conditions and hydrological drought. There is a lack of large-scale Near-Real-Time (NRT) observations that character...
Published in: | International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation |
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2024.103776 https://doaj.org/article/304bc2e0745f4ae9bd632ee7f18525a2 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:304bc2e0745f4ae9bd632ee7f18525a2 2024-09-15T18:26:35+00:00 L-band microwave-retrieved fuel temperature predicts million-hectare-scale destructive wildfires Ju Hyoung Lee Sander Veraverbeke Brendan Rogers Yann H. Kerr 2024-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2024.103776 https://doaj.org/article/304bc2e0745f4ae9bd632ee7f18525a2 EN eng Elsevier http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569843224001304 https://doaj.org/toc/1569-8432 1569-8432 doi:10.1016/j.jag.2024.103776 https://doaj.org/article/304bc2e0745f4ae9bd632ee7f18525a2 International Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation, Vol 129, Iss , Pp 103776- (2024) Fire fuel temperature Vegetation heat Large-scale wildfires Amplifying effects Passive microwave sensors Physical geography GB3-5030 Environmental sciences GE1-350 article 2024 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2024.103776 2024-08-05T17:49:26Z The 2014 Northwest Territories fires are one of the largest wildfires in history. However, it is difficult to explain what caused such devastating wildfires simply with meteorological conditions and hydrological drought. There is a lack of large-scale Near-Real-Time (NRT) observations that characterize fuel conditions. To fill this research gap, we provide the new earth observations that the meso-scale vegetation heat represented by L-band microwave-retrieved fuel (or canopy) temperature serves as a predictor of fire spread and lightning. We studied two million-ha-scale extreme fire events in the Northwest Territories in 2014 and British Columbia in 2018 to demonstrate that preheated endothermic vegetation condition (canopy temperature>295 K) ahead of flaming is a prerequisite for mega-fires. Canopy temperature is thus proposed as an indicator to modulate convective heating ahead of combustion, and fire spread, which strongly correlated (R2 of 0.8 ∼ 0.9) with pre-fire canopy temperature increments. It is possible to predict large-wildfires with this threshold of canopy temperature. We suggested a mechanism for vegetation under heat stress to trigger ignition and spread large fires. Our findings provide additional evidence that continued warming of the Earth's surface will lead to more severe firestorms and carbon emissions. Article in Journal/Newspaper Northwest Territories Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 129 103776 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Fire fuel temperature Vegetation heat Large-scale wildfires Amplifying effects Passive microwave sensors Physical geography GB3-5030 Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
spellingShingle |
Fire fuel temperature Vegetation heat Large-scale wildfires Amplifying effects Passive microwave sensors Physical geography GB3-5030 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Ju Hyoung Lee Sander Veraverbeke Brendan Rogers Yann H. Kerr L-band microwave-retrieved fuel temperature predicts million-hectare-scale destructive wildfires |
topic_facet |
Fire fuel temperature Vegetation heat Large-scale wildfires Amplifying effects Passive microwave sensors Physical geography GB3-5030 Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
description |
The 2014 Northwest Territories fires are one of the largest wildfires in history. However, it is difficult to explain what caused such devastating wildfires simply with meteorological conditions and hydrological drought. There is a lack of large-scale Near-Real-Time (NRT) observations that characterize fuel conditions. To fill this research gap, we provide the new earth observations that the meso-scale vegetation heat represented by L-band microwave-retrieved fuel (or canopy) temperature serves as a predictor of fire spread and lightning. We studied two million-ha-scale extreme fire events in the Northwest Territories in 2014 and British Columbia in 2018 to demonstrate that preheated endothermic vegetation condition (canopy temperature>295 K) ahead of flaming is a prerequisite for mega-fires. Canopy temperature is thus proposed as an indicator to modulate convective heating ahead of combustion, and fire spread, which strongly correlated (R2 of 0.8 ∼ 0.9) with pre-fire canopy temperature increments. It is possible to predict large-wildfires with this threshold of canopy temperature. We suggested a mechanism for vegetation under heat stress to trigger ignition and spread large fires. Our findings provide additional evidence that continued warming of the Earth's surface will lead to more severe firestorms and carbon emissions. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ju Hyoung Lee Sander Veraverbeke Brendan Rogers Yann H. Kerr |
author_facet |
Ju Hyoung Lee Sander Veraverbeke Brendan Rogers Yann H. Kerr |
author_sort |
Ju Hyoung Lee |
title |
L-band microwave-retrieved fuel temperature predicts million-hectare-scale destructive wildfires |
title_short |
L-band microwave-retrieved fuel temperature predicts million-hectare-scale destructive wildfires |
title_full |
L-band microwave-retrieved fuel temperature predicts million-hectare-scale destructive wildfires |
title_fullStr |
L-band microwave-retrieved fuel temperature predicts million-hectare-scale destructive wildfires |
title_full_unstemmed |
L-band microwave-retrieved fuel temperature predicts million-hectare-scale destructive wildfires |
title_sort |
l-band microwave-retrieved fuel temperature predicts million-hectare-scale destructive wildfires |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2024.103776 https://doaj.org/article/304bc2e0745f4ae9bd632ee7f18525a2 |
genre |
Northwest Territories |
genre_facet |
Northwest Territories |
op_source |
International Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation, Vol 129, Iss , Pp 103776- (2024) |
op_relation |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569843224001304 https://doaj.org/toc/1569-8432 1569-8432 doi:10.1016/j.jag.2024.103776 https://doaj.org/article/304bc2e0745f4ae9bd632ee7f18525a2 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2024.103776 |
container_title |
International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation |
container_volume |
129 |
container_start_page |
103776 |
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1810467095209574400 |