@article {bnh-4197, title = {Disaster landscape attribution: annual report 2016-17}, number = {313}, year = {2017}, month = {09/2017}, institution = {Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC}, address = {Melbourne}, abstract = {

What is the problem?

Monitoring bushfires requires timely information on their early detection, location, intensity and configuration. Their management requires timely information on fuel hazard condition and the efficacy of fuel reduction measures. This project seeks to use remote sensing to acquire this information at multiple spatial scales.

Why is it important?

By enhancing the timeliness and accuracy of observations and measurements of bushfire threatened and affected landscapes, our mitigation activities and response capacities are further strengthened. The provision of quantitative fire severity assessments informs the way in which we protect against the increasing threat of bushfire and inform our immediate to long-term recovery and rehabilitation efforts in response to bushfire events.

How are we going to solve it?

Our project is evaluating and validating current satellite based remote sensing options for active fire detection and surveillance. Using simulations and real world experiments we are determining the accuracy with which fires can be detected, their temperature and shape determined, for a range of landscapes. Our project is also creating new techniques and protocols for the rapid attribution of fire landscapes (pre- and post-fire). These techniques seek to add quantitative rigour to existing fuel hazard estimation practices.

How have we done?

This project brings together researchers from around the world including RMIT, the German Aerospace Agency DLR, CSIRO, the University of Twente in the Netherlands, Geoscience Australia and the Bureau of Meteorology. The project attributes fire landscapes using the latest satellite based thermal earth observation systems for active fire surveillance. Structure from Motion (SfM) and Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) technologies and techniques are used to quantify and map changes in the landscape before, and after, a fire event. This report provides a background to the project and discusses the key research questions being asked and describes the progress made. Key achievements over the last year are described and linked to research outputs and end user engagement and operations. The report concludes with activities planned for the year ahead and a list of currently integrated project members.

Highlights of 2016-2017 have included:

}, issn = {313}, author = {Simon Jones and Karin Reinke and Luke Wallace} }