The Secret War Over Pentagon Aid in Fighting Wildfires

The military’s satellites excel at spotting new blazes, but for decades they have been mostly off limits to civilian firefighters.

In July, as wildfires tore through the American West, President Biden met with the region’s governors to find better ways to battle the flames. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California requested use of military satellites that are designed to warn of missile attacks, calling the orbital fleet “a game changer” for spotting and fighting wildfires.

Mr. Biden promised to help. “When this meeting is over,” he said, “I’ll be on the phone with the Department of Defense.”

His call wasn’t the first — or the 50th.