Wildland fire forecasting project moves through NASA technology readiness levels 

By Theresa Barosh | July 2025

Kyle Hilburn and fellow CIRA researchers forecast wildland fire behavior using satellite information through the combination of physical modeling and the development of AI tools that simplify data acquisition and processing.   

The research has progressed through the NASA standard Technology Readiness Levels, which means that the model is moving from a research project towards a product suite that could be used by public forecasters. These Readiness levels indicate NASA’s assessment of the maturity of technologies from concept to successful operations so that new innovations can one day be used more widely.   

“We showed we can do this, we can get the satellite data in, we can get the forecast out quickly,” said Hilburn.

Learn more about the work: 

Satellite-informed fire forecasting with artificial intelligence: a spark of innovation
Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering
Three smoky fires in Minnesota
Wildfires can create their own weather, including thunderstorms and tornado-like fire whirls − an atmospheric scientist explains how
The Conversation
AI in weather forecasting: How the technology can improve predictions in life-threatening situations
KCRA Channel 3
Fighting fires from the skies
NASA Earth Science Applications Guidebook