European Satellite Technology Helps Fight Forest Fires
10/26/99
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Title: European Satellite Technology Helps Fight Forest Fires
Source: European Space Agency News Release
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: October 26, 1999
PARIS - In managing emergency situations, forest fire fighting for
instance, all modern organisations require real-time communications
between command centres, those "in the field" and the means deployed
over the affected region: helicopters, vehicles and heavy fire-
fighting equipment.
Newly emerging and existing space-based technologies such as
navigation satellite systems, satellite communications and Earth
observation methods could satisfy many of today's emergency-
management requirements. But a gap currently exists between these
technologies and their operational use. How can this gap be bridged?
The European Space Agency (ESA) has come up with an answer by
promoting a new initiative for REal-time Management of emergency
situations via SATellite. REMSAT makes maximum use of existing space
technologies (telecommunications, positioning, Earth observation
systems) as well as hand-held terminals carried by the firemen, who
can communicate with the central Emergency Management Control Centres
via transportable intermediate-scale satellite terminals.
REMSAT not only provides improved communications between fire crews
in the field and the fire-fighting control centres, but also data,
video images and geographical location capabilities, through to the
positioning and status information of all resources. It also allows
additional background information on the fire area, in the form of
satellite imagery, aerial photography and meteorological data --
essential aids to fire modelling, prediction and suppression.
A pilot demonstration of REMSAT capabilities was conducted in Canada
last September. Under an ESA contract, MacDonald Dettwiler &
Associates (CDN) -- a company with extensive expertise in space-based
operations and transportable equipment -- teamed up with the British
Columbia Forest Service. The BCFS is charged with fighting forest
fires in B.C, protecting communities and timber resources in an area
of over 1 million square kilometres. The protection programme is
deployed for an average of over 3000 fires annually.
Under the demonstration scenario, a nominal fire lasting 19 days was
simulated. Positioning functions were provided by GPS, messaging by
the Orbcomm satellite system and low/high data rate voice and video
services by the Canadian satellite system Anik. The results met with
an enthusiastic response from Provincial Government Minister of
Forests Mr David Zirnhelt and the BCFS. A further two (full-scale)
simulations are planned in spring 2000, followed by full operational
deployment of the system in a real fire that summer.
Forest fire fighting was the selected application for the pilot
demonstration. But REMSAT can be adapted to meet the needs of many
other types of emergencies such as earthquakes, floods, exceptionally
heavy winter conditions and those involving hasardous materials. It
can also be made compatible with various satellite systems currently
available.