Evaluation of remote sensing-based active fire datasets in Indonesia

Abstract

Eight different fire datasets for Indonesia were compared with each other and to fine spatial resolution burnscar maps. Results show that each dataset detects different fires. More than two-thirds of the fires detected by one dataset are not detected by any other dataset. None of the datasets detect fires in all test areas. Fire regime, satellite sensor characteristics and fire detection algorithms all influence which fires are detected. Fire datasets were not complementing each other as they all had commission as well as omission errors.

Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by ICRAF as part of the Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn programme, UNESCO, CIFOR and USFS-RSAC. We also thank EU-FFPCP, JICA-FFPMP and GTZ-IFFM for providing the data. The responsibility is of the authors alone.