Fire Observations - As the World Turns

  • Released Saturday, June 13, 2009
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From space, we can understand fires in ways that are impossible from the ground. NASA research has contributed to much improved detection of fire for scientific purposes using satellite remote sensing and geographic information systems. This has helped advance our understanding of the impacts of fire in many areas of earth science, including atmospheric chemistry and the impacts on protected areas. This research has led to the development of a rapid response system widely used throughout the world for both natural resource management and for firefighting by providing near real-time information. In this animation of fires around the globe in 2007, each red dot marks a new fire. From brush fires in Africa to forest fires in North America, satellites are locating every significant fire on Earth to within one kilometer. More information on the Fire Information for Resource Management (FIRMS) is available at http://maps.geog.umd.edu/firms/

Fires around the world from Jan 1 through Dec 31, 2007.

Fires on June 7, 2007

Fires on June 7, 2007

Credits

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NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

This page was originally published on Saturday, June 13, 2009.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:54 PM EDT.

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