Modis Land Rapid Response System
The Modis Land Rapid Response System detected Vegetation Fires
in the Sahel Zone, Central West Africa and West Africa. At this time of the
year the ocurrence of Savanna Fires and land use fires in this region of
Africa is quite usual.
Burning of bush and grass in savanna occurs either spontaneously by lightning
or often by man for agricultural purposes (e.g., to facilitate the growth of
new grass for livestock) and for hunting. Bushfires are more extensive in the
savanna where a number of factors are responsible for the frequency and
extensiveness of the fires. The grasslands, by their geographic locations,
have a prolonged dry period which extends from October-April which results in
a more thorough drying up of vegetation and soils. The intensity of the sun is
generally felt with sparse vegetation. Wind speed is generally high. The
importance of grazing is particularly significant in this region. Therefore
the need for fresh green grass leads to the tendency of herders to burn off
dry and undesirable vegetation (grasses) and to promote the growth of pasture.
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Fig.3. This image was acquired by the
Moderate-resolution
Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on 31 January 2002
are showing fires burning in West Africa. For details see:
http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/products_rr.html
and image search support at:
http://www.uni-freiburg.de/fireglobe/current/MODIS.htm
For further information see: