Remote sensing evaluation of fire hazard: Towards operational tools for improving the security of citizens and protecting the environment

Forest fires are a threat for both the environment and the security of citizens. This is particularly relevant in the Mediterranean, where the population density is high, and long dry summers drive vegetation into fireprone conditions. Policy makers underline the key role of prevention over damage reparation, and indeed efforts are conducted at regional, national and international level to develop tools supporting fire managers’ activities. The preventive allocation of intervention resources is based on fire hazard maps; these should be updated frequently throughout the fire season. In this framework satellite remote sensing can play a key role, providing daily measurements in the optical domain for the determination of vegetation water content, a key parameter for the prediction of fire hazard. This paper outlines current practices adopted in Mediterranean Europe, analyses how earth observation data are used, and underlines areas of improvement. Strengths and weaknesses of algorithms for the retrieval of vegetation water content are discussed. Examples are provided with the production of remote sensing maps of vegetation moisture in three different areas of the Mediterranean: Campania (Italy), Tuscany (Italy) and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (France). Finally, a brief review describes current and forthcoming Earth Observation missions with the potential to support fire prevention activities.Geoscience and EngineeringCivil Engineering and Geoscience