Hundreds of low earth orbit satellites, known as LEOs, would be deployed across Australia to help extinguish any dangerous bushfire within an hour, under a radical plan by Andrew Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation to rethink protection against climate-induced natural threats.

The satellites would be equipped with fire sensors and artificial intelligence to identify and respond quickly to bushfires. The plan, which could have satellites in place this year and be working by 2025, is being led by Adrian Turner, Minderoo’s head of fire and flood resilience and former head of Data61 at the CSIRO.