Satellite time series and in situ data analysis for assessing landslide susceptibility after forest fire: Preliminary results focusing the case study of pisticci (Matera, Italy)

Abstract

In this paper we present the preliminary results obtained from our investigations addressed to the estimation of landslide susceptibility after fire conducted using both satellite time series and in situ analysis. The investigations were carried on in a test area in south of Italy, municipality of Pisticci, which is characterized by a high hydrogeological risk and affected by a severe forest fire between 26 and 28 August 2012 The total area burned amounted to 1100-1300 hectares, one of the largest areas burned in Basilicata in the last 15 years. Form the geological point the investigated site is quite fragile and the fire could affect and increase the land slide susceptibility of the area. Satellite data were analyzed in order to evaluate fire severity for the whole surface affected by fire using MODIS data available free of charge from the NASA web site. Satellite investigations were completed with in situ analysis and measurements. Field measurements and laboratory mineralogical analysis, made on several sample sites selected in area characterized by different levels of fire severity, well fit together confirming the increase in landslide susceptibility after the fire event. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.