Inter-Comparison of Fire Severity Indices from Moderate (Modis) and Moderate-To-High Spatial Resolution (Landsat 8 & Sentinel-2A) Satellite Sensors

Abstract

Fire severity indices have been using to assess the level of fire severity and extent of burned areas. Three established fire severity indices - differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR), Relativized dNBR (RdNBR) and Relativized Burn Ratio (RBR) - from three optical satellite sensors (MODIS, Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2A) were compared in this study. Fire Severity Indices were derived for initial (immediately after the fire) and extended (a certain time after the fire) fire severity assessment. During the Kains Flat Fire, New South Wales, Australia, Callitris, Eucalypt Medium Woodland and Other Native Forest were the three-major fire affected forest types. Sentinel-2A derived fire indices showed better assessment of fire severity compared to the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and Landsat 8 sensor. Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2A derived fire severity indices showed higher similarities in fire severity indices inter-comparisons. This study will facilitate the selection of appropriate fire indices and indices combinations for fire severity assessment in heterogeneous landscapes, burn severity mapping and monitoring.