Authors: H Xu, Q Liu, HXH Bao
Year: 2026
Journal / publisher: Journal of Rural Studies
DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2026.104152
Abstract
The open-air burning of straw has been one of the major sources of air pollution in China. Accurately detecting and measuring the scope and extent of straw-burning activities is crucial for effective environmental policies. However, the wide-spread practice by numerous small-scale rural units across rural China makes this a chal- lenging undertaking. Our study contributes to this stream of research by leveraging mid-resolution Landsat-8 OLI sensor data to improve the accuracy of straw-burning activity detection. More importantly, we also investigate the role of seasonal variations, geographic location, and fire area in assessing environmental effects of straw burning. Using a two-way fixed-effects regression model, the results show that straw burning significantly in- creases concentrations of key air pollutants, with PM2.5 being the most affected. Each detected fire hotspot results in an increase in PM2.5 concentration of approximately 0.14-0.30 μg/m3, equivalent to about 0.31%-0.66% of the mean level. The effect is particularly pronounced in the autumn and upwind regions, where each additional fire hotspot raises PM2.5 levels by around 0.88 μg/m3, equivalent to approximately 1.94% of the mean level. Moreover, the size of the burned area is critical for evaluating the environmental impact of straw burning, a factor often overlooked in previous research. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of straw burning’s effects on air quality in China, offering valuable insights for developing countries and contributing essential scientific evidence for policy development and implementation.