In the searing Mediterranean summer, wildfires turn dangerous in minutes.
Greece has learned that at a terrible cost. In 2018, a blaze east of Athens moved with ferocious speed, killing more than 100 people. Five years later, a massive fire tore through a remote nature reserve; it was the largest wildfire ever recorded in the European Union.
Greece is looking to the heavens for help, with a dedicated satellite constellation that monitors for fires. It’s a model for the continent as Europe races toward broader independence in space technology.
Four satellites, each smaller than a piece of carry-on luggage, were launched into low orbit in May. That made Greece the first nation in the world to integrate a dedicated satellite array into its national firefighting system.
Built by German company OroraTech, the satellites carry thermal sensors designed to flag new blazes as small as four meters (13 feet) wide, beating traditional satellites that can only spot fires the size of a cruise ship.
