With reference to the Fire Watch platform, consider the following statements: 1. The initiative aims to monitor farm fires specifically in northern India. 2. The platform provides imagery of farm fires at 15-minute intervals. 3. It utilizes polar-orbiting satellites to overcome detection gaps. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IFOREST launches Fire Watch to track farm fires every 15 minutes via geostationary satellites

GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Cropping patterns & irrigation· Prelims + Mains· 6 November 2026

Remote sensing and satellite technology for environmental governance and agricultural sustainability (GS3).

Why in news

The International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST) launched 'Fire Watch' to provide 15-minute interval monitoring of farm fires in northern India using geostationary satellites.

Background

iFOREST launched Fire Watch to address gaps in farm fire detection caused by farmers evading polar-orbiting satellites. The platform integrates geostationary satellite data to provide imagery every fifteen minutes to help policymakers identify burning locations.

Facts for Prelims

BodyiFOREST: International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology
S&TFire Watch: Multi-satellite monitoring platform providing imagery every 15 minutes
FactGeostationary satellites are used to overcome limitations of polar-orbiting satellites in farm fire detection

Prelims practice question

With reference to the Fire Watch platform, consider the following statements:

The initiative aims to monitor farm fires specifically in northern India.
The platform provides imagery of farm fires at 15-minute intervals.
It utilizes polar-orbiting satellites to overcome detection gaps.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)2 only
(b)1 and 2 only
(c)1 and 3 only
(d)2 and 3 only

Show answer

Answer: (b) 1 and 2 only — Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is incorrect: It integrates geostationary satellite data to overcome limitations of polar-orbiting satellites.

For Mains

Q. Discuss how satellite-based monitoring technologies can mitigate the environmental and health impacts of seasonal farm fires in northern India.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Data-driven policy: Real-time imagery enables targeted intervention and localized fire-prevention strategies
Technological leap: Geostationary satellites overcome temporal gaps in polar-orbiting satellite observation windows

Keywords: Remote Sensing · Real-time Monitoring · Environmental Governance · Satellite Imagery · Sustainable Agriculture

Read the full news →Report a mistake in this note How notes are made Source: NDTV ↗Also: GS3 · IT, AI, semiconductors & computing

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