A multi-temporal dataset for mapping burned areas in the Brazilian Cerrado using time series of remote sensing imagery

Abstract

This paper introduces a multi-temporal tabular dataset derived from satellite images to map burned areas in the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, in Goi\'as, Brazil, covering the years 2020 to 2022. The dataset contains blue, green, red, and near-infrared bands, as well as the BAI, EVI, GEMI, NDVI, and NDWI spectral indices from the WFI sensor on the CBERS-4A, CBERS-4, and AMAZONIA-1 satellites, organized into a regular grid. We applied the Random Forest classifier to develop and validate models based on samples labeled as totally burned, partially burned, and non-burned. Two classification approaches were tested: one combining burned and non-burned areas into binary classes and another distinguishing between totally burned (TB), partially burned (PB), and non-burned (NB) classes. Seven validation approaches assessed different post-classification combinations, focusing on accuracy, precision, recall, and intersection over union (IoU) metrics. Results showed higher IoU when TB, PB, and NB were used as individual classes and TB was reclassified as burned area (BA) while PB and NB were grouped as non-burned. Comparing the annual results of this approach to the MCD64A1 product, the errors of omission for the BA class were 22% in 2020, 28% in 2021 and 59% in 2022, while the errors of commission were 46%, 43% and 46%, respectively. The study highlights the utility of the WFI sensor for burned area mapping without inter-satellite spectral calibration and suggests further exploration with other machine learning algorithms to evaluate the dataset potential and limitations.