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3238595 
Journal Article 
Global characterization of fire activity: toward defining fire regimes from Earth observation data 
Chuvieco, E; Giglio, L; Justice, C 
2008 
Yes 
Global Change Biology
ISSN: 1354-1013
EISSN: 1365-2486 
14 
7 
1488-1502 
WOS:000256446300004 
There is interest in the global community on how fire
regimes are changing as a function of changing demographics and climate. The ground-based data to
monitor such trends in fire activity are inadequate at the global scale. Satellite observations
provide a basis for such a monitoring system. In this study, a set of metrics were developed from
6 years of MODIS active fire data. The metrics were grouped into eight classes representing three
axes of fire activity: density, season duration and interannual variability. These groups were
compared with biophysical and human explanatory variables on a global scale. We found that more
than 30% of the land surface has a significant fire frequency. The most extensive fire class
exhibited high fire density, low duration and high variability and was found in boreal and
tropical wet and dry environments. A high association was found between population distribution
and fire persistence. Low GDP km(-2) was associated with fire classes with high interannual
variability and low seasonal duration. In areas with more economic resources, fires tend to be
more regular and last longer. High fire duration and low interannual variability were associated
with croplands, but often with low fire density. The study was constrained by the limited length
of satellite data record but is a first step toward developing a comprehensive global assessment
of fire regimes. However, more attention is needed by the global observing systems to provide the
underpinning socio-economic observations to better quantify and analyze the human characteristics
of fire regimes. 
active fire detection; biomass burning; fire activity; fire metrics; fire regimes; global change; human factors; MODIS; terra