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oa Remote Sensing-Based Research of Potential Areas of Wildfire Hazard using Google Earth Engine
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, International Conference of Young Professionals «GeoTerrace-2025», Oct 2025, Volume 2025, p.1 - 5
Abstract
The study is focused on identifying potential areas of wildfire hazard in Ukraine using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud platform, which provides processing of large volumes of satellite and geospatial data. The relevance of the topic is due to the increased risk of wildfires caused by climate change, anthropogenic impact, and the consequences of full-scale war, which pose a threat to natural ecosystems and biodiversity. The study did not distinguish between types of fires, but covered the natural forest and steppe ecosystems characteristic of Ukraine. The methodology involved determining the fire-hazardous period (April–November) and forming an integrated fire hazard index based on six key factors: surface temperature, precipitation, soil moisture, vegetation moisture, wind speed, and slope. The eight open satellite datasets from the GEE catalogue cover the period from 2003 to 2024. The datasets were processed by reclassifying the index values and generating thematic maps. The results showed that the highest level of wildfire hazard is observed in the south and east of Ukraine, while the mountainous regions of the Carpathians and northern regions have a lower level of risk. The data obtained are consistent with MODIS archival satellite observations of fire areas. The study can aid in planning preventive fire safety measures in areas with higher risk.