NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission is utilizing its three onboard instruments to observe vegetation precursors to fires, as well as smoke plumes and their movement. This data is crucial for scientists to better understand wildfires, especially as the North American fire season has already begun and a record number of acres have been burned nationwide.

PACE's instruments enable detailed monitoring of atmospheric and land surface conditions that influence fire spread and impact. By collecting information on vegetation before fires occur, researchers can identify high-risk areas. Furthermore, monitoring smoke and its dispersion is essential for assessing air quality and climatic effects at regional and global scales.