Characterising Bush Fires in Australia’s Top End using MODIS Active Fire Observations

This study used MODIS active fire detections and associated fire radiative power estimates to characterise bush fires in the savanna region of Australia’s Northern Territory. In contrast to other sensors MODIS has dedicated fire channels that rarely saturate over fires, enabling fire detections during the day and estimates of fire radiative power. Using number of dayand night-time fire detections it was possible to distinguish two phases of fire activity. The first phase, occurring in the early dry season, is dominated by low intensity management fires that are lit during the day and extinguish in the evening. In the late dry season, the second phase shows many high intensity fires which are burning through the night.