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Burn Index

Burn Index

ESA Sentinel-2A/B

Fire
Resolution:  
20
m
Price per acre:  
¢

Normalized burn ratio is an index calculated using near-infrared (NIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) values derived from ESA Sentinel-2, launched in 2015. It highlights burnt areas in fire zones and denotes burn severity. Burnt areas display high SWIR and low NIR reflectance, which is the opposite of healthy vegetation. Values in Lens range from -0.1 to 0.4, where lower values denote healthy vegetation and higher values correspond to more intense burns. Because index values may vary based on the landscape, pre-fire vegetation, presence of smoke or clouds, it’s useful to view alongside truecolor, vegetation, and other datasets. NBR can provide insight into the timing and intensity of fires to assess post-fire conditions and monitor recovery.