A method for monitoring thermal events in an aircraft engine compartment, the method comprising: obtaining, at a thermal event detection system, first sensor data (114, 115, 116) from a first sensor located within an engine compartment of an aircraft; determining a time series moving average based at least in part on a subset of the first sensor data (114, 115, 116), the time series moving average indicative of an average temperature rates-of-change of the engine compartment; determining a standard deviation of the time series moving average values over time; detecting a trend of temperature rates-of-change that satisfy a rate-of-change criterion, the rate-of-change criterion based on a multiple of the standard deviation, wherein the temperature rates-of-change are based on sensed temperatures of the engine compartment; and generating an alert in response to detecting the trend, the alert indicative of a thermal event associated with the engine compartment; wherein the trend is detected in response to a particular percentage of determined temperature rates-of-change within a particular time period satisfying the rate-of-change criterion, wherein the rate-of-change criterion is based on a multiple of twice the standard deviation, wherein the particular percentage is greater than fifty percent and less than or equal to one-hundred percent, and wherein the particular time period is at least five seconds, such that the trend is detected when greater than 50 percent of the determined temperature rates-of-change within at least a time period of five seconds satisfy the rate-of-change criterion of twice the standard deviation.. obtaining, at a thermal event detection system, first sensor data (114, 115, 116) from a first sensor located within an engine compartment of an aircraft; determining a time series moving average based at least in part on a subset of the first sensor data (114, 115, 116), the time series moving average indicative of an average temperature rates-of-change of the engine compartment; determining a standard deviation of the time series moving average values over time; detecting a trend of temperature rates-of-change that satisfy a rate-of-change criterion, the rate-of-change criterion based on a multiple of the standard deviation, wherein the temperature rates-of-change are based on sensed temperatures of the engine compartment; and generating an alert in response to detecting the trend, the alert indicative of a thermal event associated with the engine compartment; wherein the trend is detected in response to a particular percentage of determined temperature rates-of-change within a particular time period satisfying the rate-of-change criterion, wherein the rate-of-change criterion is based on a multiple of twice the standard deviation, wherein the particular percentage is greater than fifty percent and less than or equal to one-hundred percent, and wherein the particular time period is at least five seconds, such that the trend is detected when greater than 50 percent of the determined temperature rates-of-change within at least a time period of five seconds satisfy the rate-of-change criterion of twice the standard deviation..