Effective wildfire monitoring requires reliable data. NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) supports this by providing timely satellite-based data and imagery to wildland fire managers, GIS professionals, and the public. This webinar explores how FIRMS leverages the Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 (HLS) dataset—including true- and false-color composites—to help users identify active fire fronts, burned areas, and smoke from wildfires. 

Attendees will learn about the system’s latest user-driven enhancements, including four new HLS vegetation indices that were introduced to further inform wildland fire management. Join us for an overview of FIRMS and practical demonstrations of HLS capabilities using recent wildfire events.

Presenters

Jenny Hewson manages NASA’s Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for Earth Observations (LANCE), where she oversees the delivery of near-real time satellite data crucial for time-sensitive applications, including wildfire tracking, air quality monitoring, and disaster response. She helps guide the strategic evolution of LANCE, implements daily operations, and partners with stakeholders to identify and integrate new data products into the system that drive rapid, informed decision-making. Hewson also supports NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), a key component of LANCE. 

Diane Davies has managed NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) since its inception at the University of Maryland. She co‑leads strategic development for FIRMS, guides new product identification, and supports user engagement. She also serves as operations manager for NASA’s Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for Earth Observations (LANCE), where she helps shape the strategic direction, advances new data products, and champions user outreach.