Having seen roughly 1,200 since January, Arizona is no stranger to wildfires. This week, the federal government announced a new $20 million initiative to combat them in the western U.S. using advanced satellite technology and artificial intelligence.
The goal is to improve emergency response times with more precise data on conditions and smoke patterns.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration partnered with the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture to track and detect wildfires using satellites, supported by funds from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
They’ll use satellites to gather information that a system using artificial intelligence analyzes to quickly and automatically detect wildfires, and then display the fire's location, intensity, and other relevant information on a dashboard for forecasters and land managers.
The satellites will also be used for air quality forecasting and to help communities respond to smoke-related health effects.
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Wildfire has numerous consequences for the West and, with many statehouses now in session, lawmakers across the region are trying to respond. Now there's a new tool to track reform efforts. -
Portions of the North Kaibab Trail is set to reopen in early March. The trail remained closed after the Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed parts of the North Rim. -
Wildfires are starting to burn more frequently in areas that also get snow. And that’s causing snowpacks to melt earlier than they typically do, especially in the years right after the fire. -
The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management is collaborating with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to carry out a month-long pile burn that is expected to span across 12,000 acres. -
A new law allows for this carve out in Nevada
