Multi-decadal trends and variability in burned area from the fifth version of the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED5)

Abstract. Long-term records of burned area are needed to understand wildfire dynamics, assess fire impacts on ecosystems and air quality, and improve fire forecasts. Here, we fuse multiple streams of remote sensing data to create a 24 year (1997–2020) dataset of monthly burned area as a component of the fifth version of the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED5). During 2001–2020, we use the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) MCD64A1 burned area product and adjust for the errors of commission and omission. Adjustment factors are estimated based on region, land cover, and tree cover fraction, using spatiotemporally aligned burned area from Landsat or Sentinel-2. Burned area in croplands,…

• NA
  National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  Awards: SERVIR Applied Sciences Team (80NSSC20K0590), Carbon Monitoring System program (80NSSC18K0179)
• NO
  Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek

  Award: Vici scheme research programme, no. 016.160.324