Photo credit: www.nasa.gov

NASA Advances Wildfire Management through Innovative Airborne Technologies

The evolution of NASA’s airborne technology is paving the way for enhanced collection of localized wind data, which plays a crucial role in understanding the behavior of smoke and fire. This advancement promises to significantly aid decision-making processes for wildland fires, allowing operational agencies to distribute firefighters and resources more effectively. A dedicated team from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, based in Edwards, California, is showcasing the functionality of these technologies in practical scenarios.

During a prescribed burn in the Geneva State Forest, located approximately 100 miles south of Montgomery, Alabama, NASA integrated two cutting-edge instruments from its Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. These included a sensor for capturing three-dimensional wind data and a radiosonde designed to measure temperature, barometric pressure, and humidity. This initiative is part of NASA’s ongoing FireSense project, which focuses on testing various technologies that could ultimately support the U.S. Forest Service, along with local and state firefighting agencies.

“The goals for the Alta X deployment within this multi-agency prescribed burn involve both a technical demonstration for wildland fire professionals and essential data collection at varying altitudes for the Alabama Forestry Commission,” explained Jennifer Fowler, the project manager for FireSense. “Data gathered from different altitudes is critical to tracking variables associated with a prescribed burn.”

Among the key variables of interest is the mixing height, which pertains to how smoke disperses over a given area. Fowler noted that accurately predicting this metric can be challenging. Additionally, it’s important for humidity levels to stay above 30% during prescribed burns. The technologies utilized for local data collection are not typically available in standard wildland firefighting operations, positioning the Alta X and its instruments as vital components in demonstrating these innovative methodologies.

Beginning March 25, alongside the Alta X flights, NASA’s B200 King Air will be monitoring ongoing fires from an altitude of about 6,500 feet. Supporting aircraft equipped with sensors will operate at lower altitudes during active fires, while they will ascend higher before and after the burns to collect crucial data. This collaborative mission aims to validate and refine the predictions of the prescribed burn models.

Preparations for the research flights saw a team of pilots from NASA Armstrong finalize their travel plans to Alabama. This group, which included Derek Abramson, the chief engineer for the subscale flight research laboratory; Justin Hall, chief pilot of small uncrewed aircraft systems; and drone pilot Alexander Jaffe, was responsible for setting up, executing flights, and monitoring airborne operations, all while ensuring the readiness of additional aircraft batteries. While the launch and recovery of the Alta X is performed manually, the mission itself is executed autonomously to maintain consistent conditions for accurate data collection.

“The flight profile is designed to go vertically – taking the aircraft up and back down from the surface to an altitude of about 3,000 feet,” Abramson remarked. “Our objective is to define the mixing height and monitor variations in moisture, charting how both factors evolve throughout the day in relation to the burn.”

In August 2024, NASA researchers utilized the Langley Alta X and weather instruments in Missoula, Montana, for a different phase of the FireSense project. This demonstration of drone technology was aimed at producing localized forecasting that supplies reliable and sustainable meteorological data essential for predicting fire behavior and the associated impacts of smoke.

Source
www.nasa.gov