Fighting Fire with Tech: Southern California's New Approach to Wildfires

Southern California's wildfires have become more frequent and intense. This is due to climate change, which has made the region's weather conditions more extreme. The changes in weather are making the region more prone to wildfires, The two preceding years were unusually wet, which boosted the growth of wildfire-adapted vegetation. The following year, brought a delayed rainy season and intense Santa Ana winds. These conditions created the perfect storm for wildfires. The fires destroyed many homes and people are now trying to rebuild their lives. The increasing wildfire risk is a major concern for the region. The World Weather Attribution group, has noted the trend. This group is an international group of climate scientists and other experts. They found that the extreme weather conditions will likely occur once every 17 years. This is a 35% increase in the frequency of wildfires. This trend is not linear though. The frequency of fire-prone years has been increasing rapidly in recent years. This is a big change from the past. Southern California has always had wildfires. Its ecosystems have adapted to them. But, over a century of fire suppression has disrupted the natural balance. This has led to more intense wildfires. People have built deeper into fire-prone areas. This has created a new problem: the wildland-urban interface, or WUI. This is where the landscape has been carved up into smaller parcels. Removing excess vegetation often falls on individual homeowners, who may not realize they are responsible for the task. Prescribed burning is a way to manage wildfires. This involves starting low-intensity fires during weather conditions that make the blaze easy to contain and direct. The process helps rebalance the ecosystem and prevent dry brush from building up. But, it’s still difficult to introduce. This is because it requires public buy-in and well-trained crews. This is where startups have stepped in. Startups are offering new solutions to the wildfire problem. One company, Vibrant Planet, has developed a platform that helps utilities and land managers analyze a range of data. This helps them determine where wildfire risk is highest. Then, it helps them work with a range of stakeholders, including landowners, conservation organizations, and indigenous groups, to develop plans to mitigate the risk. This is a big change from the past. It shows that technology can be used to manage wildfires. Other startups are also working on solutions. One company, Kodama, retrofits forestry equipment for remote operation. This allows forests to be thinned at lower costs, reducing the fuel load that can lead to catastrophic wildfire. Another, BurnBot, has developed a remotely operated machine that does the work of a prescribed burn in the relative safety of its metal shroud. These startups are showing that technology can be used to manage wildfires. This is a big change from the past. It shows that technology can be used to manage wildfires. But, even with vegetation management and prescribed burning, the climate and ecosystems of Southern California won’t be completely wildfire free. To further minimize the risk of catastrophic fires, another slate of startups is working to spot wildfires soon after they ignite so crews can respond quickly. This is a big change from the past. It shows that technology can be used to manage wildfires. Pano, for example, uses AI to crunch a range of data sources, including cameras, satellite imagery, field sensors, and emergency alerts. This allows it to automatically detect new fires. Google is also in the game, having worked with Muon Space to launch FireSat. This can image wildfires from orbit every 20 minutes. These startups are showing that technology can be used to manage wildfires. This is a big change from the past. It shows that technology can be used to manage wildfires. If wildfires escape early detection and containment, other startups like FireDome are developing tools to protect homes and businesses. The Israel-based startup has created an AI-assisted fire defense system that launches projectiles filled with fire retardants. The automated system can lay down a perimeter of retardant before fire reaches a property. This is a big change from the past. It shows that technology can be used to manage wildfires. These technological solutions are just the beginning. Landowners and managers will have to get smarter about how to limit their risk. There's unlikely to be a single solution. But, there will be a combination of advanced technology and old-fashioned land management. This is a big change from the past. It shows that technology can be used to manage wildfires.