Mapping Burned Scars over Grasslands using PlanetScope Images in Southern Brazil

The São Joaquim National Park (PNSJ), established in 1961 in Santa Catarina, Brazil, covers 49,800 hectares, but only about $25 \%$ of its land is properly regularized. This study hypothesizes that burn scars mainly occur in nonregularized areas. Using PlanetScope Dove satellite imagery from May to November 2022, the study mapped 1,084 burn scars, finding that $78.6 \%$ were in unregulated areas. Analysis showed significant changes in surface reflectance and vegetation indices, with most burn scars originating in unregulated areas and encroaching into regulated ones due to climatic conditions and land grabbing. The findings support the need for land regularization to maintain PNSJ’s conservation goals, as fire occurrences are primarily linked to unregulated properties. The use of CubeSats like PlanetScope proved effective in monitoring and managing these areas.