Development of the User Requirements for the Canadian WildFireSat Satellite Mission

Area of Science:

• Earth Observation
• Wildfire Management
• Satellite Technology

Background:

• Canadian wildfire management faces challenges limiting Earth Observation (EO) data use.
• Operational needs for wildfire management, air quality, and carbon reporting are critical.
• Previous EO exploitation in this sector has been limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify technical and operational challenges for EO in Canadian wildfire management.
• Define key Fire Management Functionalities (FMFs) for an EO wildfire monitoring system.
• Establish User Requirements for the WildFireSat mission.

Main Methods:

• Conducted end-user engagement activities with wildfire management professionals.
• Documented identified Fire Management Functionalities (FMFs).
• Defined and refined User Requirements based on FMFs for the WildFireSat mission.

Main Results:

• Identified key Fire Management Functionalities (FMFs) essential for EO wildfire monitoring.
• Established detailed User Requirements for the WildFireSat mission, categorized into Observational, Measurement, and Precision.
• These requirements directly inform the WildFireSat mission design.

Conclusions:

• End-user engagement is crucial for defining effective EO wildfire monitoring systems.
• The defined User Requirements provide a solid foundation for the WildFireSat mission.
• Addressing identified challenges will enhance EO utilization in Canadian wildfire management.