Greece has turned to space for a new weapon against its worsening wildfire crisis — a network of small satellites designed to detect and track fires before they grow out of control. The country has become the first in the world to fully integrate a dedicated wildfire-monitoring satellite constellation into its national firefighting system.The system, known as the Hellenic Fire System, consists of four compact satellites launched into low Earth orbit in May. Each satellite is smaller than a piece of carry-on luggage and carries thermal imaging sensors that detect heat patterns linked to active fires. The satellites were developed by German space technology company OroraTech in collaboration with Greek authorities and the European Space Agency (ESA), with support from the EU-funded Recovery and Resilience Facility.The satellites are designed to identify fires at a much earlier stage than many traditional monitoring systems. According to AP, the thermal sensors can detect new blazes as small as around four metres (13 feet) wide, while older satellite systems often detect fires only after they have expanded significantly.Once a hotspot is detected, artificial intelligence systems analyse the satellite data and send alerts containing information such as the fire’s location, size and intensity to emergency responders. The technology is intended to help authorities decide which fires need immediate attention when several outbreaks happen at the same time.“For example, if you have 10 fires all over Greece and the fire radiative power is lower in some cases, you will not give priority to those ignitions; you will give priority to other ones,” Fire Service Colonel Zisoula Ntasiou, vice president of the International Association of Fire and Rescue Services, told AP.The satellite network arrives after Greece faced some of Europe’s most destructive wildfire disasters. A 2018 fire east of Athens killed more than 100 people, while a massive wildfire in 2023 spread through a remote nature reserve and became the largest wildfire ever recorded in the European Union.Officials say the satellites will work alongside existing firefighting tools, including drones, ground sensors and international satellite systems. Their purpose is to provide another layer of early warning, especially in remote areas where fires can spread rapidly.The use of AI is also aimed at reducing false alarms. Thermal sensors can pick up heat from sources such as solar panels, industrial rooftops and sun-heated rocks, so AI models help distinguish actual wildfire activity from other heat signals before alerts reach firefighters.Greece’s move comes as Mediterranean countries prepare for increasingly intense fire seasons linked to rising temperatures. Ioannis Lantouris, head of OroraTech’s Greek operations, told AP that climate conditions are forcing monitoring systems to evolve.“The global temperature is going up. That causes fires to change in intensity and ferocity,” Lantouris said. “Our models have to change and adjust to that. They have to be faster. They have to be more precise.”The Hellenic Fire System is also part of a broader European effort to expand independent space-based observation capabilities. Greece is developing a wider network combining thermal satellites with radar satellites that can see through clouds and smoke, along with optical satellites capable of capturing detailed ground images. The programme carries a total cost of about €200 million and is supported by EU funding.Greek Minister of Digital Governance and AI Dimitris Papastergiou described the satellite deployment as a step towards strengthening the country’s ability to respond to disasters. “By integrating space-based capabilities into our emergency response systems, we are equipping our fire services with the tools they need to respond faster, act more effectively, and protect lives, property, and the environment,” Papastergiou said.With the satellites now entering operational use, Greece is testing whether real-time data from orbit can help firefighters gain crucial minutes during fast-moving wildfire emergencies.
