A Google-backed initiative aims to prevent raging infernos by using satellites that can detect small fires before they get out of control.
The goal is to launch a constellation of satellites called FireSat into low Earth orbit. It's a collaboration between a newly formed nonprofit coalition called the Earth Fire Alliance and startup Muon Space, which designs and operates satellite networks. Google.org is funding the project, and Google's research team is also helping develop the technology to detect wildfires and monitor their growth from space.
“There is a significant gap between the data we have today and what we would have with better satellite coverage.”
Climate change is setting the stage for even larger wildfires as temperatures rise and droughts worsen in many parts of the world, so emergency responders and scientists are looking for new tools to protect people from even more intense fires.
Satellites already collect data that is used to warn of large wildfires. The hope is that FireSat can provide more consistent, high-resolution data and detect flames earlier than existing satellites or even people on the ground.
“There is a significant gap between the data we have today and what we would have with better satellite coverage. That's why we at Google Research have partnered with a number of people, scientists and leaders in the firefighting community to develop a new satellite constellation,” Christopher Van Arsdale, principal investigator in Google Research's Climate and Energy Group and board member of the Earth Fire Alliance, said in a press conference this week.
Fires are often first detected by people or aircraft, rather than satellites. Existing satellites that collect data on wildfires may only pass by a few times a day or may not be able to detect fires until they reach a certain size, making them more difficult for detecting smaller fires. If they could collect more detailed data, satellites might be able to detect fires in remote areas before they reach more densely populated areas.
FireSat has more than 50 satellites dedicated solely to wildfire monitoring. It is expected to check wildfire activity around the world every 20 minutes. It is also designed to detect fires as small as 5 x 5 meters (the size of a classroom). That's significantly smaller than previous satellites, which could detect fires as small as 0.8 to 1.2 hectares (the size of two football fields), according to Google. To do this, the team behind FireSat developed special sensors and algorithms to process the data using artificial intelligence. FireSat will be able to quickly compare images of any 5 x 5 meter area over a period of time to detect a fire and contribute to a global record of fire spread for researchers.
Muon Space is scheduled to launch the first of these satellites in early 2025 and then three more spacecraft in 2026 as part of the first phase of the mission. The Earth Fire Alliance only launched publicly this year, although the technology for FireSat has been in development for five years.
“As a former firefighter, I can personally attest to the difference this will make for firefighters on the field today,” said Kate Dargan Marquis, former California State Fire Commissioner and senior adviser to the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which also funds FireSat, in the press conference. “It's a game changer, especially as wildfires become more extreme, more frequent and more dangerous for everyone. Information like this will make a lifesaving difference.”