NASA probe scans SB Mountain fires

A NASA unmanned Predator B Ikhana aircraft is sweeping the San Bernardino Mountains with sophisticated infrared imaging equipment to pinpoint the hottest areas of the major blazes threatening Lake Arrowhead and Running Springs areas.
The aircraft was launched from NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base at about 8:45 a.m. today.
A special flight by the surveillance aircraft was requested by the California Office of Emergency Services and the National Interagency Fire Center.
NASA spokeswoman Beth Hagenauer said the Predator might also sweep down into embattled San Diego County where numerous wildfires are raging.
Hagenauer said the Ikhana Predator is carrying an autonomous modular scanner thermal infrared imaging system developed at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Northern California. The system is able to see through dense smoke and darkness to identify hot spots, flames and temperature differences. The information is transmitted in real time via satellite to fire incident commanders on the ground to aid them in allocating firefighting resources.
NASA mission managers said a second imaging flight may be launched on Thursday, Oct. 25.
Satellite images of the Southland fires can be viewed on NASA’s Web site at: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/socal_wildfires_oct07.html