Rapid assessment of forest area and volume impacted by the 2025 fires in Aude, France

Abstract Key message Although forest disturbances occur unpredictably, existing monitoring infrastructures can enable rapid, low-cost assessments. By combining national forest inventory data, canopy height models, and freely available satellite imagery, disturbance extent and forest attributes can be estimated without costly ad-hoc campaigns. Applied to the 2025 wildfires in Southwestern France (June–August), this approach estimated 14,000 ha burned, affecting 143,000 m 3 (±48,000 m 3 ) of productive timber. This report demonstrated the ability to deliver results within three weeks of the last fire, with even faster reporting possible for future events.