Russia: Spaceborne Detection of Forest Fires (IFFN No. 10 – January 1994)
Spaceborne Detection of Forest Fires
(IFFN No. 10 – January 1994, p. 18)
Satellite-based fire detection technologies have been used in Russia for many years. Like in other countries, detection capabilities of conventional satellite sensors are limited, e.g. by cloud cover or by fire size. A contract with the Russian Association for research and Science of Space Saljut was signed to develop a sensor for (1) fire danger assessment, and (2) for detecting fires less than 0.01 ha in size and independent of cloud cover. Aircraft-borne sensors will be tested during the 1994 fire season. The sensors will then be mounted on the Priroda Platform (to be coupled to the Mir space station) and tested after launch in 1995. It is envisaged to carry out ground truth tests jointly with the IGBP/IBFRA activities.
The German Aeronautical and Space Research Institute (DLR), Institute for Space Sensor Technology (Berlin) recently proposed a research programme for the development of a sensor specially designed to detect, classify and follow-up a fire event. If realized, a joint German-Russian development project may develop. First bilateral talks took place in Russia and Germany (January 1994).
The information in this country report was jointly compiled and prepared by:
Eduard P. Davidenko
National Aerial Forest Fire Center
Avialesookhrana
Gorkogo St. 20
RU – 141200 Pushkino, Moscow Region and Johann Georg Goldammer
(Editor of IFFN)
