The MODIS Fire Information System at RCMRD integrates remote sensing and GIS technologies to deliver fire hotspot zones/points within Eastern and Southern Africa using MODIS data received via the MODIS receiving station at RCMRD. The moderate resolution imaging spectrometer (MODIS) on board the Terra (EOS Am) and Aqua (EOS pm) captures data in 36 spectral bands, with bands numbers 20 – 25 being thermal bands ingested daily into the fire system.

The recent fire outbreaks at the Aberdare National Forest are currently being detected and tracked via the MODIS Fire Information System at RCMRD. With the ongoing dry spell season more fire is expected and therefore RCMRD is on high alert to detect and issue alerts through the fire information system on fire occurrence within Kenya to KFS (Kenya forest service)and KWS (Kenya wildlife service) and beyond.

Friday 13/1/2017 Low and medium intensity fire were experienced in Aberdare National Forest(see legend on figure1), with the same reported by daily nation newspapers on 14/01/2017.Kenya forestry service also confirmed the occurrence of the fire which consumed more than 500 hectares of forest cover (ref: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Fire-breaks-out-afresh-in-Aberdare-Forest/1056-3522270-7vykjqz/). Fire intensity ranging from low to extremely high (see figure 2) was experienced on 18/01/2017 in Aberdare forest.

Figure 1 and 2, shows the MODIS Fire Information System at RCMRD front end visualization viewer showing fire points as at 13/1/2017 and 18/1/2017 respectively.

Figure 2, RCMRD front end visualization viewer showing fire points as at 18/1/2017

For daily fire occurrence. Intensity alert and spatial location visualization data visit http://apps.rcmrd.org/esafis/