Automatic detection of wildfire burn scars and estimation of greenhouse gas emissions in the Chapada dos Guimarães environmental protection area using satellite images

Wildfires are recurrent in the Chapada dos Guimarães environmental protection area, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Besides the fact that these fires significantly affect biogeochemical cycles, another cause for concern is the release of greenhouse gases such as CO2, CH4 and N2O from biomass burning. Thus, this study was developed to create a computer system for detecting wildfire burn scars and measuring the volume of gases released automatically. Construction was based on the calculation of spectral indices from Sentinel-2 images, with a spatial resolution of 10 meters and a five-day time resolution. The system downloads data every five days, generates a thematic map showing burned areas and a report in CSV format with area size and an estimate of emitted gases. It is currently operational and constantly monitors the appearance of new points of origin in the study area. Validation to date is qualitative, but a quantitative approach is underway.