Wildfire
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NASA
Smoke Streams Across Eastern Washington
The start of August 2026 saw ongoing and new wildland fires burning in eastern Washington. West of Chelan, the Little Giant fire continued to produce heavy smoke, while a cluster of smaller fires farther east near Spokane affected tens of thousands of people. The smoke from these and other fires poured east-northeast across the state and into Idaho, Montana, and…
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NASA
A Week of Smoky Skies Across North America
Play Video Wildland fire activity in Canada ramped up in July 2026, a time of year when lightning ignitions typically increase, according to a seasonal outlook published by several North American fire agencies. The blazes sent smoke plumes pouring across the U.S. and Canada, affecting air quality in both countries. This animation tracks brown carbon, the organic aerosols emitted by fires…
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NASA
NASA-Funded Study Shows Wildfire Smoke’s Hidden Ozone Toll
Wildfire smoke is stoking a new challenge for cleaner air. A NASA-supported study published Thursday found that, over the last decade, wildfires have worsened ground-level ozone pollution across much of the contiguous United States, creating unhealthy air far from active flames. Wildfires have become an increasingly important contributor to ground-level ozone, or smog, across much of the United States, researchers…
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NASA
Winds Whip Up Fires and Dust on the Southern Plains
High winds coupled with dry conditions fueled fast-spreading wildland fires in the U.S. southern Plains in winter 2026. On February 17, several large blazes broke out on the Oklahoma Panhandle and burned quickly through tens of thousands of acres of grasslands and shrublands. The winds also caused dust storms and low visibility throughout the wider region. Smoke from multiple fires…
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NASA
NASA Airborne Sensor’s Wildfire Data Helps Firefighters Take Action
Data from the AVIRIS-3 sensor was recently used to create detailed fire maps in minutes, enabling firefighters in Alabama to limit the spread of wildfires and save buildings. A NASA sensor recently brought a new approach to battling wildfire, providing real-time data that helped firefighters in the field contain a blaze in Alabama. Called AVIRIS-3, which is short for Airborne…
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NASA
NASA and Forest Service Use Balloon to Help Firefighters Communicate
NASA is participating in a collaborative effort to use high-altitude balloons to improve real-time communications among firefighters battling wildland fires. The rugged and often remote locations where wildland fires burn mean cell phone service is often limited, making communication between firefighters and command posts difficult. The flight testing of the Strategic Tactical Radio and Tactical Overwatch (STRATO) technology brought together…
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Press Releases
Verizon remains ready amid the Mountain and Broad Fires
The Mountain and Broad Fires are the latest wildfires to ignite in California, and Verizon remains committed to maintaining the safety and connectivity of communities, businesses, and first responders throughout affected areas in Ventura County and Malibu. As wildfires this year have increased in both number and severity, Verizon teams have employed advanced technology and readiness strategies to help our…
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NASA
New NASA Study Tallies Carbon Emissions From Massive Canadian Fires
Extreme wildfires like these will continue to have a large impact on global climate. Stoked by Canada’s warmest and driest conditions in decades, extreme forest fires in 2023 released about 640 million metric tons of carbon, NASA scientists have found. That’s comparable in magnitude to the annual fossil fuel emissions of a large industrialized nation. NASA funded the study as…
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NASA
NASA Data Shows How Drought Changes Wildfire Recovery in the West
A new study using NASA satellite data reveals how drought affects the recovery of western ecosystems from fire, a result that could provide meaningful information for conservation efforts. The West has been witnessing a trend of increasing number and intensity of wildland fires. Historically a natural part of the region’s ecology, fires have been exacerbated by climate change—including more frequent…
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Press Releases
Frontline Wildfire Defense Launches Fire Warning Software that Protects Homes and Businesses 100x Faster Than Traditional Defense Systems
Frontline Wildfire Defense, the leading wildfire defense company for homes and commercial structures, today introduced Frontline Defense System 2, the next-generation of its patented fire defense solution that combines wildfire tracking software, satellite connectivity, and onsite sprinkler hardware to protect any building from wildfire. In addition, the company announced it has raised $6.4M in seed funding led by Echelon to scale its capacity on…
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