Firetrackr

Following a new senior project manager's inspiration from a visit to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, we embarked on an ambitious internal project leveraging NASA's satellite data for a compelling application. The project aimed to visualize forest fires across the United States using data from NASA's Landsat satellite, which continuously scans the Earth to identify hotspots indicative of forest fires. These identified hotspots are then classified as forest fires, assigned designations, and reported to the Department of the Interior and other relevant government agencies. This information is further disseminated through InciWeb, an incident tracking system for forest fires in America.

To bring this concept to life, I developed a 3D globe that provided a comprehensive view of the United States, designed as a live system to interpret the Landsat satellite data. This system was intricately linked with InciWeb incident reports, which sometimes included specific hashtags related to the fires. Furthermore, I integrated a feature to aggregate live tweets from fire departments and other sources using these hashtags, providing real-time imagery and updates on the forest fires.

The culmination of this project was an interactive website that not only aggregated and visualized critical data on forest fires but also aimed to convey the scale of these disasters. By presenting an engaging platform for the public to understand the ongoing efforts to contain forest fires, the website served a dual purpose: to inform and to inspire action. It was designed to elicit donations by highlighting the enormity of the tasks faced by municipalities and fire departments, showcasing the urgent need for resources to combat these fires effectively.

This project underscored the potential of combining satellite data with interactive web technologies to address real-world challenges, offering a powerful tool for awareness, engagement, and support in the face of natural disasters.