Global Fire Emissions Database with Atmospheric Chemistry Data

GFEDv4.1 provides global, gridded estimates of monthly burned area and emissions from fires at a 0.25-degree spatial resolution. It includes data for over 15 chemical species, such as carbon dioxide, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides, derived from satellite observations and modeling. The dataset, managed by ORNL_CLOUD, offers a multi-decade record for analyzing fire's role in the Earth system.

Use Cases

• Modeling atmospheric composition by using monthly emissions columns for CO2, CH4, NOx, and PM2.5.
• Analyzing long-term trends in global fire activity using the monthly burned area data from 1995-2016.
• Attributing emissions sources by utilizing fractional contribution data for different fire types (e.g., savanna, deforestation).
• Downscaling emissions temporally for air quality studies with the provided daily or 3-hourly scaling fields.
• Assessing regional fire impacts by examining yearly totals aggregated by region and fire source.

Strengths

• Provides emissions estimates for over 15 distinct chemical species and particulate matter.
• Offers a long temporal record, with data spanning from June 1995 through 2016.
• Delivers data at a consistent, global 0.25-degree latitude by 0.25-degree longitude spatial resolution.

Limitations

• Conflicting metadata: one source lists an update date of 2026-03 13 (future date), while another indicates the data ends in 2016, creating uncertainty about freshness.
• Specific row counts, file sizes, and detailed column names are not provided by any source.

Provenance

Source

ORNL_CLOUD

Collection Method

Derived from satellite observations and modeling to estimate burned area and emissions.

Time Range

June 1995 through 2016

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:54:28.251557

Geography

Global