Faculty of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering

Surveying to SAR-veying: Preparing for a wildfire-aggressive future through satellite remote sensing

What are you researching?

My PhD research aims to improve Australia's ability to plan for and respond to wildfire risks in the context of climate change, with a particular focus on the eucalyptus forests along the entire southeast coast of Australia.

A crucial aspect of assessing wildfire risks is understanding the condition of the forest before, during, and after previous wildfires to gain insight into how the forest is recovering. Measuring the level of regrowth is critical to predicting the likelihood of future wildfires by providing information about the level of fire "fuel" present in the forest.

My research involves developing new capabilities in the use of satellite remote sensing, which can capture information on the state of the forest over a large geographic area compared to traditional approaches like rapid visual assessments by ground survey or helicopter.

My project builds upon existing technology, the Vegetation Structural Perpendicular Index (VSPI), which is a mathematical equation that assesses the disturbed state of the forest relative to its healthy state and also traces the subsequent recovery of forests.

Through my research, I have developed a new vegetation index called RADAR-Vegetation Structural Perpendicular Index (R-VSPI) using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, which can penetrate cloud cover over forests. This allows for a more comprehensive assessment of the state of the forest, as data can be collected continuously without the interruption of cloud cover.

How is your research creating real-world impact?

To mitigate the devastating impacts of wildfires that have become all too familiar to us, it is crucial that our emergency responders have the most precise and accurate information available to prepare and plan accordingly.

My work should provide emergency responders, such as the Country Fire Authority (CFA) with detailed and continuous assessments and predictions. This information allows them to identify areas of extreme risk and implement preventive measures, such as planned burning.

By preparing for the risk, we can reduce the severity of a wildfire and, consequently, mitigate the destruction to our environment and communities.

What do you hope will come of your research?

The index I have developed currently works with freely available satellite datasets, allowing for its application across my field without limitations.

In addition, I hope to take advantage of upcoming SAR satellite capabilities, such as different wavelengths of microwave, to increase the resolution and penetration power. This would aid in applying the index to forest types with dense canopies, resulting in broader applications globally.

Moreover, the index is not limited to wildfire risk assessment. It also offers lateral benefits in investigating disturbances in forests due to disease, logging, or drought, and I look forward to exploring its potential scope for future applications.