NASA Website Shows the Impact of Fires and Smoke on Earth's Climate and Ecosystems

NASA satellites, aircraft, and research know-how have created a wealth of cutting-edge tools to help firefighters battle wildfires. These tools also have helped scientists understand the impact of fires and smoke on Earth's climate and ecosystems. Now, a new NASA Web site brings to the public and journalists the latest information about this ongoing effort.

The NASA "Fire and Smoke" Web site debuting Tuesday includes regular updates of NASA images of fires and their associated smoke plumes in the United States and around the world. The site also features articles on the latest research results and multimedia resources from across NASA.

The site is updated regularly with new images from NASA's suite of Earth-observing satellites and airborne observatories, including the unmanned Ikhana aircraft that recently pinpointed wildfire hotspots across California. NASA's investment in these observational resources, and the research and development to transform them into practical tools for operational agencies, supports ongoing nationwide efforts to fight wildfires.

The Web site is available at: http://www.nasa.gov/fires.