Publications

Padilla, Marc; Stehman, Stephen V.; Chuvieco, Emilio (2014). Validation of the 2008 MODIS-MCD45 global burned area product using stratified random sampling. REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT, 144, 187-196.

Abstract
The 2008 global burned area product MODIS-MCD45 was validated and accuracy measures were estimated globally and for several terrestrial biomes. Stratified random sampling was used to select 102 non-overlapping Thiessen scene areas (TSA) and reference fire perimeters were determined from two multi-temporal Landsat TM/ETM+ images for each sampled TSA. Error matrices and six accuracy measures were chosen to satisfy criteria specified by end-users of burned area products. Globally, MODIS-MCD45 had estimated commission and omission error rates of 46% and 72% respectively, and a Dice coefficient of 0.37. Burned area extent tended to be underestimated as the MODIS product detected an estimated 48% of the burned area as determined from the reference data. The two biomes with highest accuracy were Boreal Forest and Tropical & Subtropical savanna, two of the most fire-prone biomes. In general, accuracy slightly improved in those areas where burned area was more prevalent. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc All rights reserved.

DOI:
10.1016/j.rse.2014.01.008

ISSN:
0034-4257; 1879-0704