1 Spatial Modelling of the Terrestrial Environment - Georeferencial

Fireline Intensity and Biomass Consumption in Wildland Fires 193
for small experimental fires, and there is a clear need for further work in this area now
methods to accurately assess the radiative component are at hand. If proved valid and of
sufficient accuracy and precision, the new remotely derived estimates of heat generation,
fireline intensity and vegetation combustion will be of significant value in the estimation
of emissions’ products and also the study of how wildfires propagate through the spatial
environment. As such, research continues at a variety of spatial scales on improving the
understanding of these concepts, on the relationship between them, and on the accuracy
with which they can be estimated using these new EO approaches.
Acknowledgements
M. Wooster is supported by the NERC Earth Observation Science Initiative and is grateful
to the NERC Equipment Pool for Field Spectroscopy for much advice and for the loan of
the GER3700 field spectrometer. MODIS and ASTER data were obtained via the NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and EROS Data Centre Distributed Active Archive
Centres (DAACs). Louis Giglio provided useful advice regarding use of the MODIS Fire
Products. Radiosonde data were kindly provided by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
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