Whereas wildfires occur at totally different occasions throughout the globe, they do all have one factor in frequent: they are often completely devastating.
One of many clearest methods to understand the complete affect these occasions have is to see them from area, and that is precisely what Europe’s Copernicus program is constructed to do: ship detailed and ceaselessly up to date photos of Earth’s land and coasts that can be utilized to affect insurance policies. To do that, this system makes use of Sentinel satellites, which zip round Earth, capturing varied breathtaking, and heartbreaking, views from low Earth orbit.
What’s it?
Sentinel-2 consists of a trio (or “constellation”) of Earth-observation satellites, every carrying a high-resolution multi-spectral digicam that information mirrored gentle in 13 spectral bands. These bands embody seen wavelengths (what we will see) but in addition near-infrared and short-wave infrared, that are particularly useful for measuring vegetation situation, soil and moisture distinction and fireplace impacts.
On Jan. 9, 2026, a Sentinel-2 satellite tv for pc captured a devastating scene of the bushfires in Australia, seeing darkish burn scars the place the hearth had already burned via the panorama. In response to the Copernicus web site, these uncontrolled fires have led to the closure of a whole lot of faculties and the evacuations of complete communities, leading to hundreds of individuals residing with out electrical energy.
The place is it?
This picture was taken from low Earth orbit, displaying an space south of Longwood in northern Victoria, Australia.
Why is it wonderful?
Due to the Sentinel-2 imagery, analysts can delineate burned space boundaries, estimate how a lot land has been affected and replace these estimates as new photos arrive. The Copernicus program notes that Sentinel-2 performs a task in mapping burned areas and assessing injury to help emergency response and restoration planning.
With its near-infrared and short-wave infrared bands, Sentinel-2 may assist spotlight modifications in vegetation and charred floor, which can be more durable to identify with extraordinary cameras however may be key in creating customary fire-severity indicators and separating smoke from clouds, together with naked soil from burn scars.
The Earth-scanning satellites can additional monitor the long-term results of those fires. After the flames exit, the arduous work is recovering the panorama: stabilizing soils, defending waterways, restoring habitats and understanding how nature bounces again. Sentinel-2’s repeated scanning might help examine the identical space over longer durations of time to trace regeneration and land-cover change.
Need to be taught extra?
You may be taught extra about wildfires and Earth-observing satellites.
