Satellite launch kicks off a new effort to monitor wildfires from space

is a senior science reporter covering energy and the environment with more than a decade of experience. She is also the host of Hell or High Water: When Disaster Hits Home , a podcast from Vox Media and Audible Originals. A Google-backed mission to detect wildfires from space launched a prototype satellite last week, which is now communicating with its developers on Earth. “The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles earlier this year underscore the urgent need for real-time, high-fidelity infrared data to protect lives, communities, ecosystems, and economies,” Brian Collins, executive director of the alliance, said yesterday in a press release. “The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles earlier this year underscore the urgent need for real-time, high-fidelity infrared data” Once it’s fully up and running, FireSat could give people much earlier warning than existing technology has allowed in the past. The FireSat constellation is expected to be able to detect fires as small as 5 x 5 me ... Read full article.