FireSat Launches to Detect Classroom-Sized Wildfires Every 20 Minutes

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Google's first FireSat satellite has made contact with Earth after being launched by SpaceX, kicking off an ambitious plan to detect wildfires faster and smaller than ever before.

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FireSat can spot flames as small as a classroom (5x5 meters) and will provide updates every 20 minutes, a major leap from current satellites that only refresh every 12 hours.

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The technology uses AI and infrared sensors to tell the difference between actual fires and other heat sources, solving a critical problem for early detection.

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Personal experience fueled innovation when Juliet Rothenberg, now a Google Research director, discovered during her own wildfire evacuation that authorities lacked real-time fire data.

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Google.org invested $13 million in the project, partnering with Muon Space, Earth Fire Alliance, and the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation to bring the satellite to life.

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Before launch, the team tested their technology by flying a sensor-equipped plane over an employee's backyard firepit—and successfully spotted the small flames from above.

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Beyond emergency response, FireSat will create a historical record of fire behavior to help scientists better understand and combat the vicious cycle of wildfires and climate change.

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The satellite expands on Google's 2020 wildfire mapping tools but addresses their limitations—previous satellites were so low-resolution that "you're lucky if you can see the city of San Francisco.

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Sundar Pichai publicly thanked SpaceX for "the ride" that carried FireSat into orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

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