A new initiative to improve wildfire detection began in July with the launch of the first three FireSat satellites by a SpaceX rocket. These satellites are the initial components of a planned network of 50, specifically designed to identify wildfires when they are small enough to be contained.
FireSat satellites are equipped with infrared sensors and artificial intelligence to locate heat signatures that could indicate a new wildfire. The system compares new images with previous ones and considers factors like weather conditions and other heat sources before alerting emergency responders. The full constellation aims to scan every point on Earth approximately every 20 minutes and detect fires as small as a beach bonfire.
This satellite system is intended to complement a growing network of ground-based cameras that also use artificial intelligence to detect smoke and heat. For example, Pano AI has installed over 1,400 cameras across 17 US states, continuously scanning landscapes. Similarly, California's Alert California system, with more than 1,200 cameras, reportedly detects about half of all wildfires before emergency calls are made.