Native Communities Group Uses Satellite Imagery To Assess Wildfire Risk

Longmont, Colo.-based DigitalGlobe has entered into an agreement with Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Native Communities Development Corp. (NCDC) to provide high- resolution satellite imagery for integration with NCDC’s remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS) and mapping technologies to provide a suite of wildfire risk assessment services.

NCDC will use DigitalGlobe’s 60-centimeter resolution QuickBird satellite imagery in combination with advanced remote sensing, feature extraction and three-dimensional mapping techniques developed by NCDC’s High-Resolution Satellite Imagery and Mapping Division. These technologies enable NCDC to count, classify, map and measure individual trees; determine crown size, crown closure, open space and terrain context; and locate and map isolated structures situated within the wildland urban interface. Using QuickBird’s 2.4- meter resolution multispectral imagery, tree species can often be identified. This information is then used to identify high-density timber stands where hazardous fuels are likely to accumulate, thereby helping to identify areas where catastrophic crown fires could occur.