New fire detection and monitoring capabilities for the next generation fire system (NGFS) principal investigator: jason otkin

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded the University of Wisconsin-Madison a $4.5 million Cooperative Agreement (CFDA 11.405: Cooperative Institute Inter-Agency Funded Activities) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. Under this award, the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies will develop new fire detection and monitoring capabilities for the Next Generation Fire System (NGFS), an artificial intelligence-based platform that leverages operational weather satellite observations to deliver early wildfire alerts and analysis-ready data for land managers and firefighters. The project aims to enable earlier detection of wildfires on federal lands managed by the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, create improved wildfire monitoring products, and develop tools that enhance interoperability between satellite-derived fire information and other fire detection systems.

A subaward to the University of California, San Diego's San Diego Supercomputer Center (awarded December 15, 2025) will support the WIFIRE Program component focused on training, dissemination, and evaluation of the improved satellite-based fire detection and fire radiative power applications. This effort includes conducting stakeholder workshops across Colorado, Tennessee, Oregon, California, Texas, and other regions; deploying satellite-based detection workflows in Wildland Urban Interface communities; establishing fusion centers to expand proven fire detection workflows; and disseminating data streams and products through application programming interfaces to increase user awareness and operational adoption of the NGFS capabilities.