- Category: Space Y News
- 2026-08-05
As wildfires become increasingly frequent and severe due to climate change, the ability to anticipate fire behaviour is becoming a critical asset for civil protection. By combining Earth Observation data, atmospheric monitoring and predictive modelling, Belenos FirePredict provides authorities with actionable intelligence to move from emergency response to proactive risk management.
Wildfire management requires earlier and more actionable intelligence
Authorities need tools that translate wildfire risk alerts into operationally actionable information, including expected fire perimeters and propagation trajectories, enabling timely preventive measures such as evacuations, infrastructure shutdowns and pre-positioning of firefighting resources.
Belenos FirePredict turns space-based data into predictive wildfire managemennt tools
The Belenos FirePredict Geoportal, currently developed by INECO, is a predictive wildfire modelling platform with a 7-day forecasting horizon. It produces wildfire probability, severity and 2D propagation maps, supporting anticipatory decision-making for emergency managers and critical infrastructure operators.
The service integrates Copernicus Earth Observation data and atmospheric inputs with a Fire Behaviour Prediction engine calibrated to Spanish environmental conditions. Unlike static risk viewers, Belenos simulates fire propagation dynamics, enabling scenario-based analysis and pre-emptive deployment of response resources before ignition or during early development stages.
The service relies on EU space assets to strengthen forecasting capabilities
Belenos integrates data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), together with Earth Observation and atmospheric inputs, to support advanced wildfire prediction
Predictive modelling enables earlier action and stronger resilience
Belenos is expected to support earlier operational anticipation of wildfire events, enabling preventive deployment of firefighting resources and targeted protection of critical infrastructure, including railway lines, road networks and power grids, before fire onset or during early propagation phases.
It is also expected to provide legal and technical certainty for decision-makers through formally verifiable modelling outputs, supporting justified emergency measures such as evacuations or infrastructure shutdowns. Once validated in El Bierzo (Spain), the platform is intended to be scalable across Spain and other Mediterranean-climate regions.
Belenos highlights the role of space technologies in building proactive civil protection systems
Belenos demonstrates how EU space-enabled predictive services can support a shift from reactive response to proactive civil protection and resilience management. To maximise impact, the EU should:
- support the operational deployment of Earth Observation-based predictive wildfire tools within civil protection authorities;
- strengthen Earth Observation and atmospheric monitoring capabilities where operational requirements demand higher resolution, faster revisit times and improved responsiveness;
- use procurement and deployment mechanisms to accelerate the scaling and uptake of predictive wildfire services across Member States.
To know more visit the INECO website at : https://www.ineco.com/ineco/en
This article is part of Space Y’s Policy Message Paper “Unlocking the Full Potential of EU Space Services for Resilience, Disaster Management and Civil Protection”.
To read the full paper: SPACE Y_Policy messages_Space for Civil Protection