Khayyam Satellite Aids Iran in Managing Hyrcanian Forest Fires
WANA (Nov 23) – The head of the Iranian Space Agency announced the use of satellite data to assess fire risk and control the spread of the fire in the recent incident in the Hyrcanian forests.
In an interview, Hassan Salarieh referred to the role of space technologies in monitoring and managing environmental crises, stating that satellite data is being used to evaluate fire risk and control the spread of the blaze in the recent Hyrcanian forest incident.
He said: “One of the most important applications of space technology is environmental monitoring. Sensors installed on satellites, across various ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum, make it possible to measure temperature and detect areas with a high risk of fire.”
He also described the country’s space capabilities and added: “By combining meteorological data such as dryness, humidity, temperature, and also the amount and direction of wind, it is possible to predict fire-prone areas more accurately. This is a recognized method worldwide, and intelligent algorithms further increase the accuracy of these predictions.”
Use of Data During a Fire
Salarieh stated: “If a fire has already begun, satellite images can determine the perimeter of the blaze and its intensity, allowing faster and more precise decision-making for controlling the incident. However, the most important advantage of space-based data is issuing warnings before a fire occurs, in order to prevent its spread.”
Current Status of the Chalous Fire
Regarding the recent incident in the forests along the Chalous road, Salarieh said: “The fire has now reached a stage where the main focus must be on containment and extinguishing. Specialists stationed at the site are monitoring the area moment by moment, and this field monitoring is more accurate than any other method.”
He stated that satellite systems remain active for monitoring surrounding areas and said: “If there is any risk of the fire spreading to other points, it will be reported through satellite images; however, so far no significant risk has been recorded in other locations.”
Regarding the satellites used for fire detection, Salarieh said: “A collection of satellites, including Iran’s Khayyam satellite and European Sentinel satellites, is being used to monitor this incident. The more satellites available, the shorter the observation intervals and the more accurate the monitoring.”
Continuous Cooperation With the Crisis Headquarters
The head of Iran’s Space Agency emphasized: “Our cooperation with the Crisis Headquarters and related bodies is being carried out moment by moment, and whenever there is a need for a specific image, it is prepared and sent as quickly as possible.”
Salarieh added: “At present, the exchange of information is ongoing routinely, and the required data is being provided to the operational teams.”
He concluded: “So far, no special request outside the normal procedure has been made, and satellite monitoring continues as usual.”
A massive wildfire in the Hyrcanian forests. social media / WANA News Agency
