28/04/2026
🛰️ Technical Support in Action: Thermal Drone Assessment at Karadiyana Dumping Site 🔥
In the wake of the recent fire incident at the Karadiyana Waste Management Site, the GeoAi Lab at the National Building Research Institute - NBRI stepped in to provide technical support to monitoring and response efforts.
Using high-precision UAV-based radiometric thermal technology, our team conducted a specialized assessment to track subsurface heat and ensure the site was returning to a safe state.
📅 Surveys were carried out on April 18, 20, and 22, 2026, at 07:00 AM under consistent environmental conditions.
The study aimed to quantify the magnitude, spatial distribution, and decay behavior of thermal anomalies, while identifying potential residual subsurface activity. Thermal remote sensing was applied due to subsurface combustion processes that are not readily observable on the surface.
A consistent methodology was followed, including:
• Radiometric thermal image capture
• Orthomosaic generation
• Application of uniform emissivity (ε ≈ 0.95)
• Temperature-based classification of landfill fire intensity zones
🔍 Key Findings -
The thermal assessment shows a clear transition from active combustion to stabilized conditions within a short period:
✅ On Day 01, temperatures reached 176.32°C, with widespread extreme hotspots indicating active or recently active combustion
✅ By Day 02, all high-intensity zones were reduced to 38.87°C – 47.39°C, marking the end of “Extreme” and “High” thermal conditions
✅ By Day 03, temperatures further declined to 27.87°C – 39.21°C, approaching ambient environmental levels
📉 Mean temperature decreased from 158.30°C to 31.82°C
📉 Overall reduction of 126.48°C across the monitoring period
📉 The most significant thermal decline occurred between Day 01 and Day 02 (116.42°C), representing the primary cooling phase
➡️ The site transitioned from a highly variable thermal state to a uniform and stable condition, indicating effective suppression of active heat sources
👉 Recommendations
Recommends random thermal checks, especially during dry periods, to ensure long-term site stability.
🚀 Partner with the GeoAI Laboratory
We provide advanced analytical support and systematic monitoring for hazard identification and risk evaluation. Contact us today for your survey and project requirements:
📧 Email: [email protected]
📞 Phone: 011 2588946 (Ext. 559)
📍 Address: GeoAI Laboratory, National Building Research Institute - NBRI, No. 99/1, Jawatta Rd, Colombo 05, Sri Lanka.
