Identification Information
    Citation
        Originator: USDA Forest Service, Geospatial Technology and Applications Center, BAER Imagery Support Program
        Publication Date: 2017-07-27
        Title: Burned Area Reflectance Classification (BARC) Data Bundle for the Whittier Fire occurring on the Los Padres NF - 2017
        Publication Information
            Publication Place: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
            Publisher: USDA Forest Service
        Geospatial Data Presentation Form: raster digital data
    Description
        Abstract: These data products are preliminary burn severity assessments derived from Sentinel 2 data. The pre-fire and post-fire subsets included were used to create a differenced 
		Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) image. The dNBR image attempts to portray the variation of burn severity within a fire. The severity ratings are influenced by the effects to the canopy.  
		The severity rating is based upon a composite of the severity to the understory (grass, shrub layers), midstory trees and overstory trees. Because there is often a strong correlation 
		between canopy consumption and soil effects, this algorithm works in many cases for BAER teams whose objective is a soil burn severity assessment.  It is not, however, appropriate in 
		all ecosystems or fires. It is expected that BAER teams will adjust the thresholds to match field observations to produce a soil burn severity.
        Purpose: These data were created by the USDA Forest Service Geospatial Technology and Applications Center (GTAC) to support Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams.    


Product List
	Whittier_perim
		Burned area boundary generated from digitizing the satellite imagery acquired on 07/26/2017.
	Whittier burn severity data.kmz
		Google Earth format file that contains the burn severity (BARC4) layer, post-fire imagery, and the fire perimeter.
	s2_20170626_20170726_whittier_barc4.tif: 
    		BARC4,  Four category preliminary estimate severity classification.
	s2_20170626_20170726_whittier_barc256.tif: 
    		BARC256, 256-class (0-255); continuous image representing preliminary estimate of burn severity. This dataset can be adjusted by the user, if needed, to refine the thematic BARC4 
		product and/or define a new BARC4. It is anticipated that users will adjust the breakpoints between classes, then recode to their desired 3 or 4 classes.
	s2_20170626_20170726_whittier_dnbr.tif: 
    		Continuous dNBR product scaled by 1000; theoretical range of values is -2000 to 2000
	s2_20170626_refl_b12_b8a_b5_clip.tif: 
   		Pre-Fire Sentinel 2 reflectance image subset, acquired on 06/26/2017. Band order (1-3): SWIR, NIR, Red (Sentinel 2 bands 12, 8a, 5).
	S2_20170626_prefire.jpeg
		JPEG version of the prefire Sentinel image
	s2_20170726_refl_b12_b8a_b5_clip.tif 
    		Post-Fire Sentinel 2 reflectance image subset, acquired on 07/26/2017. Band order (1-3): SWIR, NIR, Red (Sentinel 2 bands 12, 8a, 5).
	S2_20170726_postfire.jpeg
		JPEG version of the postfire Sentinel image

BARC256 Thresholds:
	0-88 Unburned
	89-125 Low
	126-210 Moderate*
	211-255 High*

*Note: The threshold between moderate and high severity was increased from an earlier mapping based on Landsat 8 data, following discussions with the BAER team.

All files are projected in UTM Zone 12N, WGS84

Contact: 
    	Justin Epting
    	jepting@fs.fed.us
    	(801) 975-3755   




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The following section should be completed after the BARC has been field validated by the BAER team and this entire metadata file should be returned to GTAC with the Soil Burn Severity data.
    
    BAER Assessment Completion Date: 
    BAER Team GIS Analyst:
    BAER Team Leader:
    Soil Burn Severity Analyst(s): Eric Nicita
    
    Original BARC256 thresholds:
	0-88 Unburned
	89-125 Low
	126-210 Moderate
	211-255 High
        
    Soil Burn Severity thresholds: same as above, with modifications listed below			
        Unburned / Undetectable:
        Low:
        Moderate:
        High:
        
    Sequence of steps used to create Soil Burn Severity data: Some areas of the original BARC product were modified based on field validation. A fairly large area of high severity was manually digitized and added
	to the central portion of the final SBS. Other areas along the perimeter and in the central portion of the burned area were manually altered. 
    
    Additional Comments: