Home
Resources
Case Studies
Forestry Environment
Monitoring a French remote isl...
Airbus Constellation is monitoring a remote French island that has been taken over by fire
A wildfire has burnt through 55% of Amsterdam Island, a French foreign territory in the Indian Ocean
Amsterdam Island overview before fires with NIR usage
Amsterdam Island, part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF), is around 58km2 and considered one of the most remote locations on the planet. Only rotations of scientists and military personnel are carried out there for targeted missions via boat rotations which occur four times a year.
The island has several rare natural treasures granting it UNESCO World Heritage Site status for its exceptional biodiversity. A large population of rare birds is present on the island, as well as the Phylica tree, which is the subject of a restoration and conservation program.
Pointe Bénédicte station and Martin-de-Viviès base on 1st April, 2025
The station located to the west of the base at Pointe Bénédicte collects data to support atmospheric research by obtaining reference data on global warming.
The island hosts the Martin-de-Viviès research station which plays a crucial role in scientific research thanks to exceptional air quality due to its unique geographical position.
A few hours after the evacuation, the flames reached the station and continued to spread across the island for several weeks. The fire affected approximately 55% of the island's surface area
On 15th January, 2025, the island was severely affected by a wall of fire that lasted several weeks. The fire started near the base. More than 3,000 km from Reunion Island, where the TAAF administration is located, and without a fire station, the 31 people present on the island to carry out scientific missions have been urgently evacuated.
Martin-de-Viviès base before-and-after fires
The Mataf base burned down, as did the Phylica nursery which has enabled the tree restoration program to progress.
25th April, 2025
The ship Marion Dufresne, which rotates to the island four times a year, arrived on 17th April, 2025, near the island. Teams remained for approximately nine days to try to contain any hot spots, reestablish an operational firefighting system, restore water production suitable for human consumption and establish a firebreak projection around the base. After a prolonged stopover on the island, the port call allowed the recommissioning of essential installations, the extinction of persistent hot spots, as well as the establishment of a new mission.
Amsterdam Island, 25th April, 2025
- Comprehensive damage assessment: These images provide a clear visualisation of the extent of the fire and are essential for assessing the damage caused
- NIR usage: This NIR (Near infra-red) image of Pléiades Neo easily reveals the vegetation and delimitation of the fire. These 'before and after' comparisons highlight the scale of the damage and the transformation of the island affected
- Data-driven decision making: Satellite resources are perfectly suited to monitoring this situation and supplying the resources of response actors, especially in disaster management
Want to know more?
Our sales team will be happy to provide you more information about this case study and how it can meet your business needs.
Monitoring Wildfires in Los Angeles
