Satellites detected early hints of 'catastrophic' wildfire season in Manitoba, researchers say | CBC News

There were multiple overlapping signs on the Prairies detectable from space that provided an early hint of the devastating wildfire season Manitoba's still fighting through, researchers say.

An analysis of satellite imagery by University of Ottawa and Université Laval researchers suggests moderately low rainfall in April, a moderately early spring snow melt, moderately dry soil, moderately parched vegetation and a moderate decline in overall "greenness" of vegetation had a compounding effect that helped transform Manitoba into a "highly flammable landscape."

(Hossein Bonakdari, associate professor in the department of civil engineering at the University of Ottawa) and his co-authors say their findings support more widespread use of satellite imagery for wildfire forecasting and emergency preparedness planning as wildfire seasons grow longer and more intense due to climate change.

Their work was published this month in the journal Earth.