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Greece Launches Four Satellites to Detect Wildfires as Small as Four Meters
Greece has integrated a four-satellite thermal constellation into its national firefighting system. The network, built by a German firm, sends AI-processed alerts on fire location, size, and intensity to commanders.
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Greece placed four shoebox-sized satellites into low orbit in May, becoming the first country to link a dedicated satellite array directly to its firefighting operations. The satellites carry thermal sensors that can identify new fires as small as four meters wide. Data are processed by AI models that calculate location, size, and intensity before alerts reach emergency services.
The constellation supplements drones and ground sensors already added after the 2018 Athens wildfire that killed more than 100 people. Officials said the satellites also help prioritize responses when multiple fires burn at once. Thermal readings can register solar panels, factory roofs, and sun-heated rock, but AI filters are designed to remove those false signals before alerts are issued.
The initial four satellites form part of a larger 200-million-euro project funded by the EU that will add radar and optical satellites by year-end. Officials announced an additional 350 million euros in planned EU support for the programs. Greece’s system is intended to support civil protection, border surveillance, crop monitoring, and heat-island mapping as European governments seek greater technological independence.
