BAER Mapping: Methods Development and Evaluation

Since 1995 RedCastle Resources personnel have been involved with imaging systems evaluation and methods development focused on Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER).  Early BAER efforts at RedCastle focused on the development and use of the Kodak DCS420, 1.5 mega-pixel digital color infrared camera. The camera was initially focused on monitoring forest health issues and assessing burned areas. Although unimpressive by today’s technical standards, the DCS420 camera system was a major development for providing imagery to BAER teams. RedCastle Resources personnel were responsible for much of the flight testing of the camera and also the development of software to integrate the camera, a GPS and a laptop computer.  The Forest Serivce’s Remote Sensing Applications Center (RSAC), supported by RedCastle staff, provided the foundation for the current BAER satellite mapping methods development through a successful two year pilot project from 2000-2001. During this pilot phase, it was demonstrated that Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite imagery could be acquired and analyzed, and useful products could be sent to BAER field teams within 24-36 hours of containment.  In 2001, RSAC and RedCastle staff wrote a successful Joint Fire Science Program project proposal that supported the refinement and validation of satellite image-based burned area reflectance classification (BARC). BARC products provide BAER teams with a starting point for burn severity mapping, and are available more quickly and at a lower cost than aerial photo-based products.

RedCastle Resources staff have developed an online course designed to: 1) introduce a very brief remote sensing background useful for understanding the BARC; 2) discuss how we derive the BARC; 3) demonstrate how to edit the BARC we provide to create a Burn Severity Map—using either ArcView or ArcMap; 4) demonstrate how to create your own BARC from the data we provide and 5) explore some ways to use the BARC or resulting Burn Severity map in innovative ways.  Included with the course are data and step-by-step instructions for procedures in Imagine, ArcView and ArcMap.  In addition, a BARC Use instructor-led workshop is available. 

RedCastle Resources personnel have supported BAER mapping activities on an operational basis for six years. Currently, RedCastle personnel provide BAER teams with BARC map and data products and office-based analytical support.  This service has rapidly grown and become relied upon by the field with the number of fires steadily growing from 15 fires (~310,000 acres) in 2001 to 115 fires (~2.47 million acres) in 2006.