Monitoring wildfires from satellite, integration in Copernicus services and characterizing atmospheric impacts from the regional to the global scales

Satellite-borne observations offer the possibility to monitor wildfires and their impact worldwide. In addition, satellite products are increasingly used in early warning and forecasting systems for fire management. Europe is implementing a long-term and reliable observational programme and, within this frame, EUMETSAT, the European meteorological satellite operator, provides numerous observational products ranging from near-real-time wildfire identification (e.g. fire radiative power) to atmospheric impacts (e.g. major pollutants and smoke). 

Our presentation will focus on the satellite data value chain, e.g. the integration in the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS). To do that, we will firstly present datasets addressing wildfires (e.g. Fire Radiative Power, atmospheric composition, and smoke) currently generated at EUMETSAT and its Satellite Applications Facility (SAF). We will also introduce upcoming (based on the Flexible Combined Imager on-board the Meteosat Third Generation) and future products (Sentinel-4 and 5), with an example of potential joint use for a past intense fire case in the Mediterranean (Greece, August 2023).  

We will then show the entire value chain, including how the data is used in the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) Global Fire Assimilation System (GFAS), with an example on the recent intense and anomalous fire season in Canada (spring to summer 2023). This will show how distinct phases of wildfires management – from early warnings up to the impacts on yearly emissions – can be monitored with the synergy of satellite data and Copernicus forecast and analysis. Finally, we will touch also on the user support activities within EUMETSAT in this area.