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Forest fires are one of the most important sources of land degradation that lead to deforestation and desertification processes. Risk indexes obtained by means of satellite measurements have widely improved the forecasting and monitoring of fire and its impact over the global ecosystem in an operational manner. Using Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) as a key variable, we have defined a new risk index in which a static map of fire probability is modulated with the NDVI values. Its usefulness to study the dynamic of fire risk over a test area that has been affected by fire in the past years is tested. The potential application of these tools for fire management and its suitability to be provided as an end product to the forest services and cooperators aiding in that sense is also assessed. (c) 2005 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.