A landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
Using Drone Imagery to Assess Impacts of the 2018 Carr Fire Active
By Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
May 6, 2019
USGS WERC’s Dr. Karen Thorne and her research team are using drone imagery to understand how the 2018 Carr Fire affected ecosystems and cultural resources. The study, a collaboration with the National Park Service (NPS), focuses on Whiskeytown National Recreation Area in northern California. The drone images will help the WERC researchers identify changes in topography, cultural sites, debris flows, and vegetation recovery following the fire, and provide valuable data on fire impacts to the land managers at NPS.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Understanding Wildfire Effects at Whiskeytown
The Carr Fire burned nearly 230,000 acres over 38 days in the summer of 2018, making it the seventh-largest wildfire in California history (as of spring 2019). The fire began in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and spread east to nearby Redding, California. Large wildfires like the Carr Fire can have equally large effects on ecosystems and cultural resources. Post-fire impacts can be caused both by the fire itself and by erosion and debris flows during the winter rainy season, which are exacerbated by the loss of vegetation from the fire. USGS and NPS want to understand the impact of the fire at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, with focus on 1) areas identified of concern to NPS for high potential for post-fire erosion and debris flow; 2) specific cultural resource features at risk of damage from post-fire erosion, 3) specific abandoned mines at risk to erosion, and 4) post-fire vegetation characteristics and recovery at affected areas.
Drone Surveys
Severe wildfires like the Carr Fire have impacts on big spatial scales that can be difficult to understand from on-the-ground field analyses alone. USGS WERC scientists are using drones to get a large picture of the fire effects. In October 2018, Dr. Karen Thorne’s research team, including drone pilot Chase Freeman, conducted drone surveys of 15 sites at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, covering 2700 acres over 36 hours of flight time. Cameras and sensors mounted on the drones took images for topography and vegetation characteristics of the recently burned land below. The researchers will repeat their surveys in spring and summer 2019 and 2020 to assess recovery and effects of the winter rains. Watch drone video footage of the Carr Fire burn area here.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Orthoimagery
The images being used are orthoimages, which combine high-resolution aerial photos with the features of a map. Orthoimages correct photos to account for topography, lens distortion, and camera tilt, producing an extremely accurate picture of the Earth’s surface. The researchers can use orthoimages to measure elevation, area burned, and the amount or type of vegetation in a particular area. By comparing images taken at different times, they can assess changes over time, such as how vegetation is regrowing or changes in elevation caused by erosion.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
On the Ground
WERC scientists will validate and supplement the data collected from drone imagery with data from images collected on the ground. In November 2018, 12 game cameras were set up in watersheds identified by NPS to capture possible debris flow events. Along with the game cameras, the researchers established photo point locations to ground truth areas surveyed with drones and provide a finer scale analysis of changes through time.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Products and Results
The drone study will allow researchers to:
- Measure percent area burned for each study siteDetermine extent of erosion and volume of displaced earth due to rains and debris flows
- Monitor vegetation regrowth and recovery
- Produce Digital Surface Models and Vegetation Index that may be used for future analyses
Technical Details
Drone Platform: 3DR solo platform
Cameras and Sensors:
- Ricoh GR II (high resolution (3.42 cm horizontal resolution @ 120m above ground level [AGL]) ortho imagery, 12.7 hours over 61 flights)
- Micasense RedEdge multispectral sensor (8 cm horizontal resolution @ 120m AGL) (23.3 hours over 119 flights)
Image Products:
- High resolution 3 band orthoimagery layer
- Digital surface model
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Post-fire Recovery
A landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Post-fire Recovery
A landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
A landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Post-fire Recovery
A landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
A landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Post-fire Recovery
A landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
A landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
Drone Footage of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area after Carr Fire
Drone footage of Whiskeytown National Recreation area in Northern California in October 2018, captured by drone pilot and USGS WERC ecologist Chase Freeman.
Drone footage of Whiskeytown National Recreation area in Northern California in October 2018, captured by drone pilot and USGS WERC ecologist Chase Freeman.
- Overview
USGS WERC’s Dr. Karen Thorne and her research team are using drone imagery to understand how the 2018 Carr Fire affected ecosystems and cultural resources. The study, a collaboration with the National Park Service (NPS), focuses on Whiskeytown National Recreation Area in northern California. The drone images will help the WERC researchers identify changes in topography, cultural sites, debris flows, and vegetation recovery following the fire, and provide valuable data on fire impacts to the land managers at NPS.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsAerial view image of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area with marked locations of completed and proposed drone survey areas. Survey areas are marked as priority areas because of the presence of dozer lines, debris flow potential, cultural value, or mines. Understanding Wildfire Effects at Whiskeytown
The Carr Fire burned nearly 230,000 acres over 38 days in the summer of 2018, making it the seventh-largest wildfire in California history (as of spring 2019). The fire began in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and spread east to nearby Redding, California. Large wildfires like the Carr Fire can have equally large effects on ecosystems and cultural resources. Post-fire impacts can be caused both by the fire itself and by erosion and debris flows during the winter rainy season, which are exacerbated by the loss of vegetation from the fire. USGS and NPS want to understand the impact of the fire at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, with focus on 1) areas identified of concern to NPS for high potential for post-fire erosion and debris flow; 2) specific cultural resource features at risk of damage from post-fire erosion, 3) specific abandoned mines at risk to erosion, and 4) post-fire vegetation characteristics and recovery at affected areas.
Drone Surveys
Severe wildfires like the Carr Fire have impacts on big spatial scales that can be difficult to understand from on-the-ground field analyses alone. USGS WERC scientists are using drones to get a large picture of the fire effects. In October 2018, Dr. Karen Thorne’s research team, including drone pilot Chase Freeman, conducted drone surveys of 15 sites at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, covering 2700 acres over 36 hours of flight time. Cameras and sensors mounted on the drones took images for topography and vegetation characteristics of the recently burned land below. The researchers will repeat their surveys in spring and summer 2019 and 2020 to assess recovery and effects of the winter rains. Watch drone video footage of the Carr Fire burn area here.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsUSGS ecologist and drone pilot Chase Freeman and technician Kylie Mosher prepare for a drone flight at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Orthoimagery
The images being used are orthoimages, which combine high-resolution aerial photos with the features of a map. Orthoimages correct photos to account for topography, lens distortion, and camera tilt, producing an extremely accurate picture of the Earth’s surface. The researchers can use orthoimages to measure elevation, area burned, and the amount or type of vegetation in a particular area. By comparing images taken at different times, they can assess changes over time, such as how vegetation is regrowing or changes in elevation caused by erosion.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsOrthoimage of a burned valley at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Orthoimages combine aerial photos with elevation data to create an accurate, 3D image of the Earth.
On the GroundWERC scientists will validate and supplement the data collected from drone imagery with data from images collected on the ground. In November 2018, 12 game cameras were set up in watersheds identified by NPS to capture possible debris flow events. Along with the game cameras, the researchers established photo point locations to ground truth areas surveyed with drones and provide a finer scale analysis of changes through time.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsA series of 4 images illustrating how orthoimagery can be used to analyze elevation changes and vegetation regrowth.. 1) 3D image of valley with road running through it, 2) close up 3D image showing vegetation and structures, 3) Image 1 with color gradient to represent elevation, 4) Image 2 with color used to highlight the presence of vegetation. Products and Results
The drone study will allow researchers to:
- Measure percent area burned for each study siteDetermine extent of erosion and volume of displaced earth due to rains and debris flows
- Monitor vegetation regrowth and recovery
- Produce Digital Surface Models and Vegetation Index that may be used for future analyses
Technical Details
Drone Platform: 3DR solo platform
Cameras and Sensors:
- Ricoh GR II (high resolution (3.42 cm horizontal resolution @ 120m above ground level [AGL]) ortho imagery, 12.7 hours over 61 flights)
- Micasense RedEdge multispectral sensor (8 cm horizontal resolution @ 120m AGL) (23.3 hours over 119 flights)
Image Products:
- High resolution 3 band orthoimagery layer
- Digital surface model
- Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Post-fire RecoveryA landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
A landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Post-fire RecoveryA landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
A landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Post-fire RecoveryA landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
A landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Post-fire RecoveryA landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
A landscape at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 2 months and 9 months after summer 2018's Carr Fire near Redding, California, where USGS WERC researchers are studying fire impacts, post-fire vegetation recovery, and post-fire erosion and debris flows.
Drone Footage of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area after Carr FireDrone footage of Whiskeytown National Recreation area in Northern California in October 2018, captured by drone pilot and USGS WERC ecologist Chase Freeman.
Drone footage of Whiskeytown National Recreation area in Northern California in October 2018, captured by drone pilot and USGS WERC ecologist Chase Freeman.