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Copernicus Summer Series - Wildfire Management in Greece

Copernicus Summer Series - Wildfire Management in Greece [Aug/2024]


Benefits of Copernicus imagery to better assess the extent of wildfires in Greece

Earth Observation (EO) data carry a wealth of information that can contribute to interpreting geophysical phenomenon. Raw data once transformed into information can support agents solving problems by supplying actionable intelligence that reduces the uncertainty of a decision.

Sentinel-2, which is part of Europe’s flagship EO programme Copernicus, is a wide-swath, high-resolution, multi-spectral imaging mission, consisting of two twin satellites, Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B. The data from these satellites, which are available under an open and free data policy, are used to support a variety of services and applications, including land management, agriculture, forestry, disaster control, humanitarian relief operations, risk mapping, and security concerns.

An analysis by the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC) was conducted to assess the benefits derived from Sentinel-2 imagery on the Greek island of Crete, used by regional authorities to assess the extent and impact of wildfires and efficiently plan related relief efforts.

This is particularly important as since the 1980s, each decade has been hotter than the last, with the 7 hottest years ever recorded all occurring since 2015. An inevitable consequence of such dry and hot conditions is the proliferation of wildfires. In Greece, a country particularly affected by extreme heat and wildfires, Sentinel data is being used to prepare for such disasters and help in alleviating their effects.

The report finds that the use of the Sentinel data results in:

  • Economic benefits, as authorities gain a comprehensive view of the most and least affected areas in the aftermath of a wildfire, allowing for an efficient allocation of public money
  • Environmental benefits, since the use of the Sentinel data helps the regional authorities to better understand where and to what extent ecosystems have been affected, implying that efforts to rebuild them can be more rapid and better informed
  • Societal benefits, considering that citizens of affected areas benefit from efficiently planned disaster relief efforts as the Sentinel data enables a comprehensive assessment of the damages to local infrastructure, allowing for the resources needed to rebuild it to be distributed efficiently.

The full report can be accessed in the restricted area (please log in before).


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