A Google-funded initiative has a bold goal to reduce wildfires on Earth. The idea behind the so-called Earth Fire Alliance is to monitor the planet from above, using a constellation of satellites that is always alert.
The alliance was unveiled in May 2024, concerned about forest fires, particularly climate-related ones, in regions such as the United States, Australia and southern European countries. Google.org announced a $13 million investment in the programwhich should help you meet the deadline for starting activities.
The project involves not only the company, but also the Moore Foundation, the Environmental Defense Fund and satellite manufacturer Muon Space. The idea is that the first of them will be launched into space and will start operating in 2025.
How Satellites Search for Fires
Just as Starlink provides internet signal to any corner of the Earth, the idea of the Earth Fire Alliance satellites is to be always vigilant and have global coverage.
The constellation of 52 satellites promises to have images updated every 20 minutes or even lessdepending on the resolution. Thanks to the monitoring and artificial intelligence (AI) tools provided by Google and improved by partners, they are able to find fires in areas of at least 5 m².
One of the satellites planned to monitor fires from space.Source: Earth Fire Alliance
After identifying the fire, the alliance will provide the images free of charge for the responsible agencies in each country, along with alerts with the precise location of the phenomenon. Other agencies will also be able to use the data, such as land management and agriculture. Governments will only have access to the data if the use involves combating climate change.
The first launch will likely be made by a SpaceX rocket, with three other launches scheduled for 2026. For now, there is no forecast for all satellites to be in space.