Station (ALS) is to be operational by the end of 1979. This decision has 
rejuvenated the interest of many potential users in that it signals the 
availability of data for Australia within weeks of acquisition rather than 
months. It is proposed that all daylight passes of the spacecraft will be 
recorded however only those scenes specifically requested by users will be 
processed into pictorial or computer compatible form. Current plans also 
include the provision of a quick-look facility. 
This development means that specific requests to NASA for data 
acquisition will no longer be necessary and all possible data regardless 
of quality will be available for perusal. In terms of usefulness for fire 
mapping, data will be available on a routine basis providing that appro- 
priate weather coincides with at least one orbit within the several months 
following the fire while the patterns of damage remain obvious. 
FOREST FAIRE MAPPING PROJECT 
Evaluation of the potential of Landsat imagery for forest fire mapping 
in Australia has previously been limited to study of standard visual 
imagery, as mentioned earlier. The decision to operate an Australian 
Landsat Station, the developments which have taken place to produce im- 
proved quality visual imagery and the introduction to Australia of systems 
for automatic image analysis prompted the setting up of a project to study 
the usefulness of the new data forms and digital approaches to the prepa- 
ration of maps of forest fires. The aim is to reliably and efficiently map 
the area burnt and the patterns which reflect degree of damage to the 
forest. If successful in this aim the study also will produce a manual or 
users guide which can form the basis of an operational system of value to a 
wide spectrum of forested land managers. 
Reports of overseas experience in mapping forest fires have generally 
referred only to mapping fire perimeters (Kirby 1974, Winquist and Jackson 
1975) and references to any projects involving fire intensity and degrees 
of damage have not appeared in the readily accessible literature. Most of 
the reports sighted refer to work carried out in the Northern Hemisphere 
where fires have resulted in complete defoliation of the burnt area. In a 
forest situation such as exists in Australia, where many of the species are 
fire resistant, it is very important for future management to have a 
statement of degree of damage. 
The study is as yet incomplete, however, results to date have been 
sufficiently encouraging to justify continuation. The remainder of this 
paper takes the form of a progress report on the project, outlining results 
and pointing to those areas where ‘future work will be directed.