Giant balloons floating above Colorado's wildfires could help to predict future blazes

At the end of July, a US state battled wildfires. While most blazes are contained, hot and dry conditions may cause more fires this summer. A startup called Urban Sky launched a giant balloon from a pickup truck on August 1. The balloon captured high-resolution photos of a fire and measured temperature points on the ground. Equipped with infrared sensors, the balloon maps vegetation density and moisture content to detect and prevent wildfires. The data is transmitted to computers on the ground via a satellite link, accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Balloons offer advantages over existing technologies like satellites and drones in terms of resolution, coverage area, and cost.