Post-fire lidar dataset and 3D reconstruction of Las Médulas World Heritage Cultural Landscape (NW Spain)

Obtaining high-resolution spatial data to monitor post-fire impacts in environmentally and historically sensitive areas is essential for both heritage conservation and environmental assessment. The “Las Médulas Post-Fire lidar dataset” was acquired in September and November 2025, immediately after the wildfire that affected this UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape in northwestern Spain. Las Médulas, the largest Roman gold-mining complex in the ancient world, is characterized by extensive hydraulic infrastructures and a distinctive geomorphology shaped by the ruina montium technique. The dataset includes UAV-based lidar point clouds and derived topographic products such as Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), Digital Surface Models (DSMs) and RGB orthomosaics, suitable for 3D reconstruction of the archaeological and natural landscape. These products document post-fire terrain conditions, vegetation loss and erosional patterns, while preserving fine-scale mining landforms. All files are openly accessible in a structured repository, providing a reproducible resource for research on cultural heritage management, ecological recovery, geomorphology and risk assessment in Mediterranean mountain environments.