NASA has successfully tested an innovative instrument designed to enhance wildfire monitoring and research capabilities during the January 2025 California wildfires. The new device, called the Compact Fire Infrared Radiance Spectral Tracker (C-FIRST), was deployed on NASA's B200 King Air aircraft to observe fires in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena regions.
The C-FIRST instrument, developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, represents a major advancement in fire detection technology. It captures high-resolution thermal infrared images across wide areas, allowing scientists to simultaneously monitor both active flames and smoldering terrain.
"Currently, no instrument is able to cover the entire range of attributes for fires present in the Earth system," explained Sarath Gunapala, principal investigator for C-FIRST at NASA JPL. This limitation has created gaps in understanding fire occurrences, sizes, and temperatures.
Previous infrared imaging systems struggled with extremely hot surfaces above 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, often producing blurry or oversaturated images. C-FIRST overcomes these technical challenges through state-of-the-art imaging capabilities packed into a compact design.
The instrument's ability to detect smoldering fires with improved accuracy could help firefighting agencies respond more effectively. The data collected enables scientists to predict fire spread patterns and assess ecosystem recovery after fire events.
KC Sujan, operations engineer for the B200 King Air, noted that the aircraft was ideally suited for testing C-FIRST due to its flight capabilities and quick integration potential. The successful airborne test marks an important step toward potential future satellite deployment of the technology.
As climate change increases wildfire frequency and intensity, tools like C-FIRST may become invaluable for both immediate firefighting response and long-term scientific research into fire behavior and environmental impacts.
The project received support from NASA's Earth Science Technology Office, demonstrating the agency's commitment to developing advanced solutions for monitoring and understanding natural disasters.