Google-Backed FireSat Satellites Launch to Detect Wildfires as Smoke Blankets US and Canada

As smoke from hundreds of wildfires spread across Canada and the United States, the first three operational satellites of the Google-backed FireSat program successfully launched into orbit on July 7, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Designed by Muon Space and managed by the nonprofit Earth Fire Alliance, the microsatellites will begin detecting even small fires in the US, Australia, and Europe after a three-month testing period. The FireSat constellation is the first purpose-built for wildfire detection, and with over $15 million from Google and $26 million from the Bezos Earth Fund, it will cover every fire-prone region on Earth at least twice daily to provide critical data to fire agencies.