Massive wildfire in Dzukou Valley, on Manipur-Nagaland border

A huge wildfire in Dzukou valley located on the Manipur-Nagaland border caused severe damage to the environment.

Which of the states in India are more prone to Forest fires?

According to Forest Survey of India, 2020, the forests of Chhattisgarh, Mizoran, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha are most vulnerable to forest fires.

How are forest fires detected in India?

When a forest fire is detected in India by the MODIS and VIIRS instruments (installed on satellites), the information is passed to the Forest Survey of India (FSI). The FSI analyses the data overlaying the digitised boundaries and pinpoints the location to the exact forest department. The Divisional Forest Officer in charge of the forest is then informed about the raging fire.

How long does it take to detect forest fire in India?

According to Forest Survey of India, it takes two hours in spotting the fire and reaching the Divisional Forest Officer. Earlier it was six hours. The time lapse has reduced because the frequency of the two satellites orbiting the earth has increased from twice daily to two hours daily.

What is MODIS and VIIRS role in detecting forest fires in India?

MODIS is Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer of NASA. VIIRS is Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite. According to Forest Survey of India, MODIS detected 29,547 fires in India. MODIS is Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer. The VIIRS provides data on clouds, ocean colour, sea surface temperature, polar winds, aerosols, forest fires, snow and ice.

Where are the fire detecting MODIS instrument placed?

The MODIS instrument is placed in two NASA satellites such as Terra and Aqua.

Where are VIIRS fire detecting instruments placed?

The VIIRS is placed on the Suomi NPP satellite. Suomi NPP is Suomi National Polar orbiting Partnership launched by NASA.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2020