The Pioneer Fire, Boise National Forest, Idaho, 2016. Original public domain image from Flickr, U.S. Forest Service. Image via Rawpixel.

NASA‘s Jet Propulsion Laboratory awarded Spire Global a contract to develop space-based capabilities for wildfire early detection and active monitoring. Spire announced the award on Tuesday and said the company will partner with OroraTech to design a solution. 

OroraTech, based in Germany, has expertise in thermal infrared sensing for early detection of wildfires. The company recently closed a $27 million funding round. OroraTech has successfully operated thermal infrared sensors in orbit on satellites designed and built by Spire.

Under the contract, Spire and OroraTech will develop a low-cost, orbital solution for monitoring wildfire-prone areas in the United States. The two have also received a similar contract from the Canadian Space Agency for prep work for a dedicated constellation to monitor wildfires in Canada. 

“Wildfires are an escalating threat with far-reaching impacts on our environment and communities,” said Peter Platzer, CEO of Spire Global. “Current monitoring methods fall short during peak periods of fire intensity. By leveraging the transformative power of space-based technology and our partnership with OroraTech, we aim to close this gap and provide a scalable, low-cost solution for early wildfire detection and monitoring.”