Tropical forest fire scar studies using multi-temporal ERS 1/2 INSAR data

The interferometric coherence component of tandem ERS 1/2 data was used to study the extent of some 1997 forest fire scars near Banjarmasin, Kalimantan, Indonesia. Interferometric coherence of ERS 1/2 tandem SAR data has been shown to be a very reliable tool for discriminating between vegetated and non-vegetated areas, even in the tropical forest. To distinguish fire burnt scars from natural clear areas, two sets of ERS 1/2 tandem data over the same region, one set acquired in June 1996 (before the 1997 forest fire) and another set in October 1997 (at the end of the 1997 forest fire) were processed and a comparison made.