NASA FireSense (Fishlake National Forest)

On October 9^th, 2023, a heli-torch operator flew over the Fishlake National Forest in Utah, igniting a prescribed burn to assist in the regrowth of the Aspen tree population. The forest is renowned for the Pando clone, the largest organism ever found, spanning 106 acres and consisting of over 40,000 individual trees. Aspen trees, classified as pyrophile plants, rely on fire for reproduction. However, the encroachment of conifer trees in Fishlake National Forest has diminished local Aspen populations. By conducting prescribed burns, managers not only reduce the conifer tree population but also stimulate the regrowth of Aspen trees. This effort not only aims to restore Aspen populations for ecosystem rehabilitation but also contributes to advancements in wildfire science. Organizations such as US Forests Services’s FASMEE and NASA's FireSense participated in studying this burn, with NASA leveraging its unique Earth science and airborne technological capabilities to improve US wildland fire management. Beyond the fire lifecycle, NASA FireSense is intended to enable a transition from reactive to proactive fire response by facilitating increased preparedness and co-existence with fire through co-development of technology and data-informed tools with communities representing resource managers, policy-makers, and stakeholders at all levels.

This page is dedicated to footage captured during the Fish Lake National Forest prescribed burn and the various events around it.

NASA FireSense Website