Natural hazards monitoring: Forest fires, droughts and floods - The example of European pilot projects

This paper reviews the subject of natural hazards and the use of existing r emote sensing systems in the different phases of disaster management for so me specific natural hazards: forest fires, droughts and floods. It centers on the applicability of remote sensing for increasing preparedness, providi ng early warnings, monitoring the hazards in real time, and assessing the d amage so that relief can be provided. Comparison of the information provide d by existing systems and that needed for operational use of remote sensing in disaster management is also addressed. The capability of some of the fu ture sensors to comply with the needs in the field of natural hazards is di scussed. In this context current pilot projects carried on at the European Commission Joint Research Centre are presented.