Remotely Sensed Soil Moisture as a Key Variable in Wildfires Prevention Services: Towards New Prediction Tools Using SMOS and SMAP Data

Abstract

Wildfires are an increasingly concerning issue due to their impact on safety, environment, and the economy. Although natural fires are in part essential to maintain dynamics, biodiversity, and productivity in some ecosystems, their damages are huge in economic and environmental terms (FAO, 2006; Ireland and Petropoulos, 2015; Karamesouti et al., 2016). Usually, forest fires occur in patchy landscapes, affecting agricultural and urban areas, and in some cases, seriously threatening human lives. [...]