A self-heating intensity index (SHII) based on the highest (pixel max.) and lowest (pixel min.) values taken from satellite thermal maps of burning coal waste dumps are proposed. The index enables the classification of such fires in Ukrainian- and Polish coal waste dumps. Both in Ukraine and in Poland, varying thermal intensities during 1985–2019 are revealed, using the SHII and following thermal intensity threshold values, namely, extreme thermal activity (> 7), advanced (3–7), moderate (3–1.5), initial (1.5–1), no activity (< 1). The SHII shows decreasing thermal activity in the selected Ukrainian coal waste dumps during 2017–2019. It aids in reconstructing the thermal history of the dumps. Analysis of satellite images revealed a large number of burning coal waste dumps in the Donetsk Coal Basin (Ukraine) with high thermal activity. Such burning likely reflects large amounts of organic matter and sulphides in the dumped material subjected to self-heating and self-burning processes, lack of compaction of the coal waste and/or high methane contents. Comparison of SHII values calculated from satellite- and drone thermal-camera images were compared to show that SHII from drone thermal images have much higher values than those from satellite images; the former have better resolution. Thus, SHII from Landsat- and drone images should be used separately in dump heating studies.

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