Understanding the Societal Value of Space-based Remote Sensing Used for Wildfire Management

In fall 2023, the National Space Council (NSpC) asked the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI) to conduct a study on the value of space-based remote sensing. STPI was tasked with describing the value of space-based remote sensing, the users of remote sensing images, and the potential impacts from losing access to remote sensing images. We chose wildfires as a case study for this effort to improve our understanding of the value of space-based remote sensing for the wildfire community, as well as to improve understanding of the users accessing these data.

Due to the limited information available on the value of space-based remote sensing data used for wildfire management, STPI identified key stakeholders in the Federal, non-governmental, and private sectors who could provide additional expertise. As a result, we conducted 14 interviews with staff from Federal agencies (i.e., U.S. Forest Service, National Interagency Fire Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA], and the Office of Management and Budget [OMB]), non-governmental organizations (i.e., NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies), and the private sector (i.e., Amazon Web Services and Milliman). Because many offices within a single agency work on wildfire management, STPI conducted multiple interviews with staff from NASA, OMB, and the U.S. Forest Service.

STPI applied two qualitative assessments to better understand the value of space-based remote sensing products used in wildfire management: the VALUABLES framework and the U.S. Group on Earth Observation (USGEO) Earth Observation Assessment.[1] To better understand the societal value of space-based remote sensing data for wildfire management, we also reviewed current user engagement strategies, identified the limitations of using space-based remote sensing data for wildfire management, and provided recommendations on steps to improve available information on users and users’ needs.

STPI’s analysis concluded that (1) wildfire management has evolved significantly since space-based remote sensing imagery was incorporated; (2) satellites sponsored by the commercial and intelligence communities have become increasingly important for wildfire management; (3) continuity of satellite data is crucial for wildfire management; and (4) there is limited information available on users and their respective needs making it difficult to estimate the societal value of space-based remote sensing products used in wildfire management.

The paucity of information available about users of satellite data limits STPI’s ability to estimate the societal value of satellite data for wildfire management, and ultimately to assess whether these products are meeting users’ needs. This presentation gives an overview of the evolution of wildfire management since the incorporation of space-based remote sensing imagery, and provides a qualitative assessment of the societal value of satellite data for wildfire management. Results of this study were also used to identify three recommendations that will improve the understanding of the value of space-based remote sensing images for the wildfire management community. These recommendations include the following: (1) explore opportunities to create a holistic and comprehensive approach to satellite management that gathers information needed to address the national, human, energy, environmental, and food security issues; (2) identify satellite data users and their needs; and (3) recognize, incorporate, and plan for the private sector as a permanent part of the wildfire satellite community.

[1] The VALUABLES framework was developed by NASA and Resources for the Future (RFF; Kuwayama 2021).