Advanced Fire Information System Karen Steenkamp Philip Frost CSIR Meraka Institute www.sac.co.za
Meraka Institute - RSRU RSRU Mission: To conduct basic and applied remote sensing research for the advancement of scientific knowledge about the environment. Primary goals: Develop world-class RS scientists within SA Collaborate with partners to produce RS products used for environmental management Publish in international journals To improve RS training at TEI s
CSIR MODIS DB Coverage
ACTIVE FIRES 2001 animation 1km MODIS active fire detections (red) superimposed on MODIS 16 day NDVI Provided by Dr David Roy
Advanced Fire Information System CSIR and Eskom (SA Power Utility) initiated the development of AFIS in 2004 Main aims: 1. Detection (Near real time fire detection) 2. Assessment (Burn area mapping) 3. Prediction (Fire Danger Index) Serve as a research tool as well as an alert service for fire suppression Based on multiple satellite sensors Focus on Southern Africa
Why ESKOM? ESKOM produces 95 % of South Africa s electricity and 70 % of Africa s Each year ESKOM experiences a substantial amount down time on its transmission lines due to wildfires. Flames, and the hot air resulting from flames can cause flash overs from line to line and from line to ground. Hot air reduces what is called the flash over potential. Flames are compared to air (even hot air) a good conductor. The flash over occurs in the form a of a lightning bolt A flash over will cause a 300 ms dip in electricity flow which can severely impact some machinery
Impact of Flashovers
The Anatomy of the Power Grid TRANSMISSION LINE TRANSMISSION SUBSTATION Power station 765/400/275/220/132 kv DISTRIBUSION LINE DISTRIBUTION SUBSTASION (165/132/88/33 kv) RETIKULASIE H/S LYNE (22/11 kv) AANSLUITINGS RETIKULASIE L/S LYNE (380/220V)
Polar-orbiting Satellite System MODIS Satellite system Polar Orbits TERRA 10:00 14:00 AQUA Swath: Scan width: 2400 2400 km, km resolution: 1km Overpass x 1km times: 10:00 am Overpass 14:00 pm times: 10:00 22:00 pm - Terra 14:00 02:00 am - Aqua 22:00 - Terra 02:00 1 km resolution - Aqua Fire Detection size: size: 0.25 0.2 Ht Ha 50mx50m
Geostationary satellite Continuous observation of Africa and Europe Images every 15 minutes 4.8 Km resolution Fire size: 5 10 Ha
AFIS Processing Diagram CSIR SAC MSG Internet Service Provider (IS) WAMIS Server Online Mapping Service Public Cell phone Alert Service Fire Alert Services MODIS GEONETCAST Service
Navigation tools MSG observations MODIS observations Data layers Query data
SMS/Email Alerts Currently National Control Grid Staff
Fire Protection Associations on AFIS
Forthcoming AFIS products Operational burned area mapping Flashover Probability Index Daily FDI product based on the Lowveld model and DB CRAS forecast data Integration of 100 automated weather stations in South Africa in to AFIS for 15 minute wind speed and direction updates Dissemination of fire products via the GEONETCAST network of Eumetsat
Operational burned area mapping MODIS 500m burned area product (CSIR & Louis Giglio) Burned area products 2003-2007 over Eastern South Africa MODIS tile Each pixel provides Julian date of burn (i.e. at least 4 yr data record when each pixel burned) Operational burned area product ready in next 2 weeks
Development of a Flashover Prediction Model A flashover prediction model has been developed to identify fires close to transmission lines with a high probability of causing a flashover The model is based on MODIS active fire product to detect fires close to power lines and numerical weather forecasts derived from the CRAS model Wind speed, Wind direction, Air temperature and Relative humidity forecasts are used to predict flashover probability
Flashover Probability Index (FPI)
GEONETCAST CSIR product dissimination: Daily active fires Daily FDI 16 day Burned area The FDI and burned area products will be available for Southern Africa in 2009
MODIS fires on National TV