The NASA FireSense Project: Responding to Stakeholder Needs Across the Fire Life Cycle

Wildfire is a complex mobile disturbance causing local damage and possible distant impacts through the transport of smoke, ash, and debris. NASA continues to invest in and support data products and technology to support global fire monitoring and operational management needs. NASA’s recent FireSense Project aims to directly engage wildfire management stakeholders through co-development to transition improved technology and applications into operation. FireSense completed an initial campaign in coordination with federal, state, local and academic partners assessing and characterizing conditions before, during and after wildfires. Data from the campaign can be used to improve fire spread and smoke forecast models and evaluate the capabilities of the sensors and related instruments on current or future satellite missions for supporting proactive wildland fire management and situational awareness during active wildfire response. Though FireSense is being implemented in the Unites States, solutions are expected to be broadly applicable globally.