An operational system has been developed to warn aircraft about potentially hazardous flying conditions. Before this warning system, several jumbo jets unknowingly flew into ash plumes, which disabled their engines. It was only by the skill of the pilots and a large measure of luck that total disasters were avoided. Because coal fires heat the ground, their thermal signatures are detectable in infrared images. In visible images, the fires are invisible.
Forest fires are a major cause for concern, destroying resources and often threatening urban areas.
Evidence from the thermal images is being used to pressure governments to develop plans to more effectively manage the rain forests and develop alternatives to destructive agriculture methods. Thermal infrared images of the oceans have dramatically increased our knowledge and understanding of ocean currents, heat exchange between the ocean and atmosphere, and the interplay between sea-surface temperature and the weather. Municipal authorities can better prepare for above-average rainfall by cleaning out flood control channels and catchment basins. Homeowners can fix leaky roofs and shore up hillsides in anticipation of heavy precipitation, instead of being caught off-guard. Remote sensing has also shown us that the Gulf Stream is like a river in the Atlantic Ocean, flowing from the Caribbean, northward along the east coast of North America, across the Atlantic, and then southward along the west coast of Europe.