Global Dataset of cumulative post fire soil erosion estimates (2001–2019)

Wildfires induce significant disturbances to topsoil properties, increasing surface runoff and accelerating soil erosion. Despite extensive research, a global, spatially explicit quantification of cumulative post-fire erosion has been missing. This dataset addresses that gap by providing annual global estimates of post-fire soil erosion from 2001–2019. Soil loss is quantified using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), where post-fire modifications to cover-management (C) factors parameterized to acount for burn severity and land cover characteristics after fire. The dataset integrates erosion estimates with spatial information enabling the assessment of cumulative soil degradation driven by repeated burns. This resource supports global-scale analysis of wildfire-induced land degradation and offers a basis for post-fire risk mitigation and policy strategies aligned with Land Degradation Neutrality targets. Data Description Component Description Spatial resolution 200 m Temporal coverage 2001–2019 (annual) Geographic extent Global land surface Projection EPSG:6933 - WGS 84 / NSIDC EASE-Grid 2.0 Global Soil erosion model RUSLE Units Soil loss in Mg File type GeoTIFF rasters (Figure1) Grid Reference grid.zip Data layers included: Annual pre-fire soil erosion Annual post-fire soil erosion including past fires Grid shapefile for tiles references + overview.png Intended Use This dataset is intended to support: Post-fire risk assessment and mitigagion and restoration planning Climate and land surface modeling Soil conservation policy and SDG 15.3 monitoring Research on wildfire impacts under climate change Recommended Citation for Dataset Users are encouraged to acknowledge the dataset and cite the companion article. Vieira D, Borrelli P, Scarpa D, Liakos L, Ballabio C, Panagos P. 2025. Global Dataset of cumulative post fire soil erosion estimates (2001–2019). DOI:10.5281/zenodo.17404150 Reference to be added