The Importance of Earth Observation for Monitoring Cultural Heritage Sites Affected by Fire Events: The Case Study of Arakapas, Cyprus Using Sentinel 2 Data

Abstract

Abstract. This paper presents the importance of using Earth observation to assess the impact of fire events on monitoring cultural heritage sites. The use of sensors such as Sentinel 2 can detect burnt areas in order to determine the extent of fire events on cultural heritage sites, using the fire event in Arakapas, Cyprus as a case study. Sentinel-2 is a multispectral optical sensor acquiring information in a range extending from the visible up to the short-wave infrared, which is the most sensitive spectral range for the detection of damages caused by fire. Sentinel-2 can support cultural heritage monitoring and assessment allowing rapid revisit of any site of interest using pre- and post-event images, where burned areas can be detected with change detection techniques coupled with suitable, spectral indices. Such derived products assist in quickly raising awareness on the endangerment of cultural and natural heritage sites and landscapes, emphasising the importance of Earth observation data for monitoring natural hazards for the protection of valuable cultural heritage sites.