Throughout the season, NOAA's two geostationary satellites and two polar-orbiting spacecraft provided more than 200 images each day. The most hectic stretch of last year's season came between July and September, when NOAA satellites detected 98,848 hotspots.
"Satellite detection of fires and hotspots provides valuable information about the location of emerging fire problems," said Heath Hockenberry, the NOAA National Fire Weather Program leader, located at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. "This information allows on-site fire weather forecasters to remain aware of new fire locations and potential problem areas."
Along with satellite coverage, part of NOAA's operational fire and smoke program includes the Hazard Mapping System, which detects the wildfires and tracks the smoke they produce. HMS, which incorporates both NOAA and NASA satellites, tracks smoke from wildfires occurring throughout all of North America and pinpoints fires that are emitting the most smoke. HMS overlays fire locations with satellite imagery, providing analysts on the ground a high measure of quality control.
"NOAA Incident Meteorologists and fire weather forecasters always need to know where fires are and how they are developing in complex terrain," Hockenberry said. "This information is essential to on-site fire weather forecast accuracy and usefulness."
"The smoke from these fires can be extremely harmful to air quality, which is a threat to health and public safety," said Mary E. Kicza, assistant administrator for the NOAA Satellite and Information Service. "NOAA is committed to providing the satellite coverage and products needed to help save lives and property from dangerous fires."
