Comparison of NOAA-AVHRR and DMSP-OLS for operational fire monitoring in Kalimantan, Indonesia

Fire products derived from NOAA-AVHRR channel 3 images and DMSP-OLS are compared to determine the most appropriate AVHRR channel 3 thresholds and methods for operational monitoring of fire in Kalimantan, Indonesia. The results indicate that about 77% of AVHRR fire cells derived from a temperature threshold of 321 deg K applied to channel 3 daytime images corresponded with DMSP-OLS fire cells at monthly or longer time scales. However, lower temperature thresholds produced slightly greater correspondence between the two sensors on the same date. By contrast, a contextual algorithm produced a lower correspondence (approximately 50%) between fire products from the two sensors. Although the number and extent of DMSP-OLS fire cells was much greater than fire-cells derived from AVHRR channel 3, the spatial distribution of the two products was broadly similar in the study area.