NASA scientists and engineers have developed a new technology, the Compact Fire Infrared Radiance Spectral Tracker (c-FIRST), to better understand wildfire behavior following the January wildfires in California. The instrument was tested on NASA’s B200 King Air aircraft flying over wildfires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, California, allowing for real-time observations of the fires’ impacts.
Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, c-FIRST collects high-resolution thermal infrared images and data about the terrain to study the effects of wildfires on ecology. Unlike previous instruments, c-FIRST can capture the full temperature range of wildland fires, improving the quality and quantity of data produced.
The development of c-FIRST addresses challenges with traditional infrared imaging technology, which has struggled to convey details of high-temperature surfaces during wildfires. By improving the accuracy and speed of detecting smoldering fires, c-FIRST data can provide crucial information for firefighting agencies to combat fires more effectively and monitor their spread.
The c-FIRST instrument was integrated onto the B200 King Air aircraft to test its capabilities for future satellite missions studying wildfires. As wildfires become more frequent due to climate change, c-FIRST’s data could help officials monitor fires more effectively, predict their spread, and understand ecosystems’ recovery from fire events.
Overall, c-FIRST has the potential to revolutionize wildfire research and management, providing valuable insights that can help protect communities and habitats in the face of increasing wildfire risk.
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