Wildfires 101

Narration: Katie Jepson

Transcript:

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So wildfires need three things:

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fuel, proper conditions, and a source of ignition.

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And many times, wildfire is essential for a healthy forest ecosystem

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Problem is, the conditions that are favorable for fire,

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like hot, dry, and windy days,

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are becoming more and more common as our climate changes.

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And that's not good.

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NASA can track these conditions

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and inform land managers when an area appears prone to wildfire.

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Additionally, satellites operated by NASA and other partners

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can detect fires’ heat signature, especially at night, and provide

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this data to land managers to help track a fire’s evolution.

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NASA’s ability to not only track wildfires,

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but also the conditions that lead to them,

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is essential to our ability to mitigate their impacts.