Month: January 2017

MAAP #53: Wildfire Hotspots in the Peruvian Amazon in 2016

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Imagen 53. VIIRS/NASA, SERNANP.

During 2016, Peru experienced an intense wildfire season, exacerbated by widespread drought conditions across the country.

The base map (Image 53, to the left) shows the 2016 fire alert hotspots.

These alerts are generated from a moderate-resolution (375 meters) satellite sensor (VIIRS) that detects significant new heat sources.

Although there has not yet been a comprehensive evaluation of the causes of these fires, evidence indicates that many are linked to agricultural practices that allow fires to escape to surrounding natural habitats.

In the image, we highlight 5 significant fire hotspots in the Amazon basin, labeled A-E (A. Northern Peru; B. Lower Huallaga; C. Huánuco/Ucayali, D. Ene River, E. Southern Manu, F. Interoceanic Highway).

These areas are described in more detail below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A. Northern Peru

Image 53a. Data: VIIRS/NASA, SERNANP, MODIS

Hotspot A indicates the area in northern Peru that experienced a wave of intense fires in late 2016. Most of the fires occurred in the headwaters of the Amazon, in the Cajamarca and Lambayeque regions.

As previously reported, we estimate that 6,594 acres were burned within 11 Protected Areas (see MAAP #51 and MAAP #52).

Image 53a shows where the concentrations of heat sources were recorded.

B. Lower Huallaga

Hotspot B corresponds to the area along the lower Huallaga river basin, between the regions of Loreto and San Martín. Although most of the fires were in established agricultural areas, some impacted forest and secondary vegetation for the opening of new agricultural areas (Image 53b).

Image 53b. VIIRS/NASA, Planet

C. Huánuco/Ucayali

Hotspot C overlaps with one of the primary deforestation hotspots in the country. As previously reported, one of the primary drivers of deforestation in this area is cattle pasture (see MAAP #37). Therefore, there may be a relationship between the use of fire in agricultural activities and the high deforestation rates in this area.

D. Ene River

Hotspot D highlights an area that generated national and international attention in 2016, when fires along the Ene River threatened two national protected areas (Asháninka Communal Reserve and Otishi National Park) in the Junin region. Image 53d shows a comparison of before (left panel) and during (right panel) the fires. We did not document any fires entering the protected areas.

Image 53d. VIIRS/NASA, SERNANP, Planet

E. South of Manu

Hotspot E corresponds to an area of grassland, inter-Andean valley, and cloud forest in the buffer zone of Manu National Park and surrounding the Wayqecha Private Conservation Area. According to estimates of local officials, around 3,000 hectares burned.

Image 53e. VIIRS/NASA, SERNANP, Planet

F. Interoceanic Highway

Hotspot F indicates an area in southern Peru experiencing increasing deforestation along the Interoceanic Highway in the Madre de Dios region. We previously documented a correlation between the areas with high concentrations of fires and areas of elevated deforestation (see MAAP #47).

References

Planet Team (2017). Planet Application Program Interface: In Space for Life on Earth. San Francisco, CA. https://api.planet.com

Citation

Novoa S, Finer M, Samochuallpa E (2017) Wildfire Hotspots in Peruvian Amazon in 2016. MAAP: 53.

MAAP #52: Update – Fires Degrade 11 Protected Areas in northern Peru

Posted on by dcadmin
Image 52a. Data: MODIS/NASA, SERNANP, NCI.

In the previous MAAP #51, we gave an initial impact assesment regarding the recent wave of fires in protected areas in northern Peru. Here, we provide a more comprehensive update.

Our revised estimate is 6,594 acres (2,668 hectares) burned in 11 Protected Areas (see Image 52a) in late 2016. Note that the image is from November and smoke from the fires is clearly seen.

The majority (4,165 acres) occured in 7 national protected areas under national administration (Cutervo National Park, Pagaibamba Protected Forest, Laquipampa Wildlife Refuge, Tumbes National Reserve, Cerros de Amotape National Park, Tabaconas-Namballe National Sanctuary, Udima Wildlife Refuge).*

The estimates refer to areas directly affected by fires (i.e. burned) and come from two sources: our analysis of satellite images and field information from SERNANP, the Peruvian protected areas agency.

It appears that the primary cause of these fires is poor agricultural burning practices during a time of intense drought. These conditions allowed fires to escape into protected areas.

Below, we show a series of new satellite images of some of the burn areas (for images of other areas, see MAAP #51). We also publish a statement from SERNANP.

 

*The rest occured in 3 national protected areas under private administration (Chicuate-Chinguelas, Huaricancha, and Bosques de Dotor Private Conservation Areas; 1,927 acres) and 1 municipal protected area (ACA Cachiaco-San Pablo; 502 acres).


Cutervo National Park

The following image shows a comparison of the northern sector of Cutervo National Park before (left panel) and after (right panel) the fires. The estimated burn area within the park is 731 acres. The red dots indicate the fire alerts (heat sources) detected by the VIIRS satellite sensor (note the high correlation between the distribution of the alerts and confirmed burn areas).
Image 52b. Data: Planet, VIIRS/NASA, SERNANP. Click to enlarge.

Pagaibamba Protected Forest

The following image shows a comparison of the southern sector of Pagaibamba Protected Forest before (left panel) and after (right panel) the fires. The red dots indicate the fire alerts. SERNANP estimates the burn area within the protected forest at 1,013 acres (see SERNANP statement below).

Image 52c. Data: Planet, Digital Globe (Nextview), VIIRS/NASA, SERNANP. Click to enlarge.

Tumbes National Reserve

The following image shows a comparison of the western sector of Tumbes National Reserve before (left panel) and after (right panel) the fires. It also shows the smaller burn area within Cerros de Amotape National Park. The estimated burn area within the two adjacent protected areas is 1,285 acres. The red dots indicate the fire alerts.

Image 52d. Data: Planet, SERNANP, VIIRS/NASA. Click to enlarge.

Tabaconas-Namballe National Sanctuary

The following image shows a comparison of the western sector of Tabaconas-Namballe National Sanctuary before (left panel) and after (right panel) the fires. The estimated burn area within the national sanctuary is 35 acres. The red dots indicate the fire alerts.

Image 52e. Data: Planet, USGS/NASA, SERNANP, VIIRS/NASA. Click to enlarge.

Dotor Private Conservation Area

The following image shows a comparison of the northern sector of the private conservation area before (left panel) and after (right panel) the fires. The estimated burn area within the national sanctuary is 395 acres. The red dots indicate the fire alerts.

Image 52f. Data: Planet, VIIRS/NASA, SERNANP. Click to enlarge.

 

Statement from SERNANP

Note: This statement refers to the data in MAAP #51. In the current MAAP #52 report we have made the necessary corrections.

In regards to the effect of forest fires in 6 natural protected areas (Refugio de Vida Silvestre Laquipampa, Refugio de Vida Silvestre Bosques Nublados de Udima, Parque Nacional de Cutervo, Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape, Reserva Nacional de Tumbes y Bosque de Protección Pagaibamba), located in the departments of Lambayeque and Cajamarca, we clarify that although the ACA and ACCA report refers to 1,400 hectares of heat sources in the particular case of the Pagaibamba Protected Forest, it should be noted that according to the verification carried out in-situ by the SERNANP personnel, the burned habitat amounts to only 410 hectares. The remaining 990 hectares were affected, but indirectly, by presence of smoke and ash.

In addition, SERNANP led a multisectoral action along with our park guards who hare specialized in forest fires, as part of immediate attention to the emergency regarding the forest fires in the affected protected areas, obtaining positive results in a short time.

Finally, SERNANP personnel are assessing the ecological damage and developing a recovery plan.

Citation

Novoa S, Finer M (2017) Update – Fires Degrade 11 Protected Areas in northern Peru. MAAP: 52.