Detection and Analysis of Coal Fire in Jharia Coalfield (JCF) Using Landsat Remote Sensing Data

Coal fires are common and serious problem in most of the coal producing countries of the world. In India, Jharia Coalfield (JCF) has one of the dense surface-subsurface coal fires in the world. The paper presents a case study of fire mapping and its propagation dynamics of JCF during 2001 to 2016 using Landsat data at consecutive 5 year interval. The study reveals that there are three distinct zones of fire in JCF viz., Eastern zone (Rajapur, Lodna, Kustore, Eastern Jharia, Bastacola, Chasnala (IISCO) and Bhowrah), Western Zone (Barora area of Shatabdi, Muraidih open cast mines) and Central zone (Kustor, Tisra, Bhulanbarari, Gonudih Khas Kusunda Colliery (GKKC), Sijua and Modidih colliery). The maximum temperature observed from Landsat data in JCF for years 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016 is 50 degrees C, 53 degrees C, 57.5 degrees C and 56.5 degrees C, respectively. In the year 2016, the eastern part of JCF was relatively more affected by coal fire than the western part, showing prevalence of major surface and subsurface coal fire. The same trend was maintained from 2001 to 2016. The total fire area is 8.85 km(2), 9.34 km(2), 9.78 km(2), 8.42 km(2) in the years 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016, respectively. The total fire area is reduced by 0.43 km(2) (from 8.85 to 8.42 km(2)) from 2001 to 2016.