Subject: [NEXTEL-1] NASA satellites track fires

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2003 15:23:45 -0400

NASA satellites track fires
BY Randall Edwards
July 23, 2003

As fire season rages in the western United States, the fire fighters are getting
some help from outer space.
NASA's Earth Observing System consists of satellites that relay near-real-time
information to U.S. Forest Service fire managers, who currently face wildfires in
at least 11 states. The satellites can transmit the location, area and extent of
each fire. The system can also track the direction of fires, size of smoke plumes
and projected pollution effects.

The Agriculture Department's Forest Service receives the information directly from
the satellites via its Remote Sensing Applications Center in Salt Lake City. Fire
managers use the data to help them decide where to deploy resources.
"What's important is that the information is accurate and timely," said Tom Bobbe,
the center's manager.

The satellite data also helps scientists understand how fires behave. "Using
satellites, we have the ability to monitor fires and better understand the
processes and changes in fire regimes associated with changes in climate and
population," said Chris Justice, a professor of geography at the University of
Maryland. NASA has global ambitions for the system. The agency can create a global
map of fires and is trying to get other countries involved in an integrated
effort. "The idea is to get scientists with expertise around the world involved in
working as a community to get a better management of the planet as a whole,"
Justice said.

http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0721/web-nasa-07-23-03.asp

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