The Bezos Earth Fund has committed $26 million to support the FireSat satellite programme, providing funding for the launch and operation of its first operational satellites as efforts continue to improve early wildfire detection worldwide.

The funding will enable nonprofit Earth Fire Alliance to deploy three FireSat satellites, scheduled for launch this summer. According to the organisation, the grant is the largest philanthropic contribution made specifically for wildfire detection.

The programme is intended to improve how quickly wildfires are identified and tracked, particularly in regions where fires spread rapidly and threaten forests, wildlife and nearby communities. The first satellites will monitor priority areas, including the Amazon Basin, with observations expected at least twice each day.

Earth Fire Alliance said the funding builds on existing support from Google.org, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and other organisations involved in the project.

Wildfires have become a growing environmental concern in many parts of the world. The Bezos Earth Fund said such fires contribute to as much as half of global tree cover loss each year while producing smoke and air pollution that can travel far beyond the areas where the fires begin.

According to Lauren Sánchez Bezos, vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, the long-term objective is for the FireSat network to identify new fires anywhere on Earth within 20 minutes once the full satellite constellation is operational.

Earth Fire Alliance said the system is expected to detect fires measuring about 15 feet by 15 feet anywhere in the world within one hour by 2029. The organisation plans to expand the network to around 50 satellites in the early 2030s, allowing every location on Earth to be observed every 20 minutes or less.

The satellites were developed by space systems company Muon Space for Earth Fire Alliance. Using infrared sensors, the satellites are designed to detect small fires shortly after ignition and transmit data to emergency responders and researchers in near real time.

The organisation said fire agencies and scientific institutions contributed to the programme's development through its Early Adopter initiative. Participants include organisations across the Amazon region as well as fire agencies in California, Colorado, Oregon and Texas, alongside partners in Africa, Australia and Portugal.

Earth Fire Alliance said the satellite data will be made available to firefighters, researchers, land managers and policymakers to support wildfire monitoring and response. The Bezos Earth Fund added that it continues to support research into technologies aimed at improving wildfire detection and prevention.