In a recent release of data from the Sentinel-3 World Fire Atlas, it was reported that the month of August 2019 saw a significant increase in wildfires globally compared to the same period in the previous year. According to the data, almost five times as many wildfires were recorded in August 2019 than in August 2018. This alarming increase in wildfires brings into sharp focus the need for enhanced wildfire detection and management strategies on a global scale.
Breakdown of Wildfires By Region
In August 2019, a total of 79,000 wildfires were detected, marking a notable surge from just over 16,000 fires that were recorded in August 2018. These wildfires were not uniformly distributed across the globe. An analysis of the geographic spread of these fires reveals that nearly half (49%) of the fires were detected in Asia. South America accounted for approximately 28% of the wildfires, while Africa had 16% of the incidents. The remaining wildfires were found in North America, Europe, and Oceania. It is pertinent to mention that the months of August and September 2019 also marked the time when the Amazon rainforest experienced significant fire outbreaks.
The Sentinel-3 World Fire Atlas
The Sentinel-3 World Fires Atlas Prototype product is an initiative developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). It was designed to succeed the ESA Along Track Scanning Radiometers (ATSR) World Fire Atlas, which offered monthly global fire maps from 1995 to 2012. The Sentinel-3 World Fires Atlas primarily serving the southern countries of the ESA member states. The new prototype employs data from Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-3B satellites and includes two dedicated channels (F1 and F2) specifically designed for detecting fires and high temperature events.
The Sentinel-3 Mission
Sentinel-3 is a comprehensive, multi-instrument mission committed to measuring sea-surface topography, sea and land-surface temperature, ocean colour, and land colour with impeccable accuracy and reliability. The mission leans on the operation of two satellites: Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-3B. It forms part of the European Commission Copernicus programme for Earth Observation.
Table of Facts
| Fact | Data |
|---|---|
| Total Wildfires August 2019 | 79,000 |
| Total Wildfires August 2018 | 16,000+ |
| Wildfires in Asia | 49% |
| Wildfires in South America | 28% |
| Wildfires in Africa | 16% |
| Satellites used by Sentinel-3 | Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-3B |