Computing of the Burnt Forest Regions Area Using Digital Image Processing

Abstract

<em>At present, there is no conventional scientific method to evaluate the area of the burnt regions of forests and in this field, the related organizations use different methods and variables. Also, the speed in performing the processes of area computing and damage evaluation, especially in the extensive damaged forest regions is very slow; consequently, the expression of results takes more time. Now, one of the most important parameters to evaluate the forests fire damages is computing the area of the burnt forest regions. In this research, an aerial digital image from a forest region after fire occurrence is used and the primary area of the burnt region is calculated in two methods of; integration and interconnected components extraction, by using image processing techniques. Also, in order to estimate the real area, a coefficient "m" is calculated to obtain real area based an measuring the forest land surface by exerting the imaging scale on the primary area. The methods which are introduced to calculate real area of the burnt regions, are dependent on some secondary tools such as aerial camera and special plane, but in the extensive forest regions damaged by fire, they cause to decrease in the evaluation costs and faster notification of the results.</em>