Fire Monitoring and Satellite Imagery
Emergency Alert
Emergency Alert is a nation-wide system that sends alert messages to landline phones (based upon location) and mobile handsets (based upon billing address) in the event of an emergency or impending disaster. All telephones (including unlisted or silent numbers) are listed, and it is not possible to opt-out. More information on this service can be found in the Emergency Alert FAQ.
Sentinal Bushfire Monitoring System
Sentinal Bushfire Monitoring System, or Sentinal Hotspots, is a mapping tool for emergency service managers to identify fire locations with a potential risk to communities and property. It is a collaborative effort between the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation (DIGO), CSIRO Land & Water, and Geoscience Australia, and the system can be accessed using any standard web browser. Data is obtained from the NASA Earth Observation Satellites Terra and Aqua, which use the MODIS Rapid Response System. More information on how the system works can be found at the About Sentinal page of the Sentinal Hotspots website.
sentinel.ga.gov.au/acres/sentinel/
Fire Information for Resource Management System
Fire Information for Resource Management System, or FIRMS, provides MODIS hotspot and fire products to natural resource managers around the world, and is run by the University of Maryland in the USA. The MODIS hotspot/ active fire data is provided by the MODIS Rapid Response System. More information about FIRMS can be found in their detailed FAQ.
Landgate FireWatch Map Service
The FireWatch Map Service provided by Landgate (Western Australia Land Authority) provides emergency service personnel throughout Australia with information to help them manage bushfires. Hotspot data is sourced from MODIS and NOAA imagery. More information on this tool can be found on their website.
Global Fire Monitoring Centre
The Global Fire Monitoring Centre, or GFMC, is an activity of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN ISDR). The GFMC provides near real time data on wildland fire activities globally.
NASA MODIS Rapid Response System
MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) Rapid Response System was developed to provide near real-time satellite images of the Earth’s landmasses. Data from MODIS-equipped satellites, status, images, and information on the project can be found at the MODIS Rapid Response System section of the NASA website.
More information about the MODIS payload scientific instrument can be found on Wikipedia.