A Global Bottom-Up Approach to Estimate Fuel Consumed by Fires Using Above Ground Biomass Observations

Real-time estimates of the fuel consumed during a fire (dry-matter) relies on indirect estimate from remotely sensed released energy combined with biome dependent conversion coefficients. The uncertainties in the conversions lead to the use of inflation factors to avoid large underestimations in the prediction of aerosol load during fires. In this study, adopting two different fire inventories for burned areas, we apply above ground biomass (AGB) observations [from Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) L-band vegetation optical depth] as proxy for fuel load in deriving estimates of dry-matter. These new estimates are then converted into biomass burning aerosols and validated against independent aerosol optical depth observations from the AERONET in situ global network. Results showed that use of AGB as a proxy observation of fuel load improves fire emission estimates and substituting the need for indirect dry-matter estimates from remotely sensed fire activity or for the use of inflation factors.

Automated summary

This study improves estimates of fire emissions by using above ground biomass as a proxy observation for fuel load, eliminating the need for indirect estimates from remotely sensed data or inflation factors.