The Exciting New Wildfire Fighting Technology

Over the past 50 years or so, wildfires have become larger and more common, totalling a five-fold increase in annual burn area. In California, more than 3.1 million acres have burned so far in 2020. And as climate change continues, these improved technologies will fight future fires. 

Spotting fires from the air

FUEGO (Fire Urgency Estimator in Geosynchronous Orbit) is a collaboration between UC Berkeley and Fireball. The system uses an array of 200 “fire tower cameras” scattered across the western U.S. If a tower detects smoke, it directs aircraft or satellites to identify and hopefully snuff the fledgling fire.

This integrated approach can quickly identify fires within several minutes, with an accuracy of about 95%, even when a fire may be invisible to sensors. According to an article published by the University of Southern Queensland, this technology detected the 2019 Kincade Fire in California in only 66 seconds and allowed for quicker action and evacuation.

Monitoring fires with smarter, cloud-powered tech

In 2019, California awarded two new contracts for developing more efficient wildfire technology. The government awarded Technosylva $383,000 for a proof of concept technology that aims to predict wildfires in real-time. The cloud-based modeling system analyzes numerous factors including vegetation, topography and weather. The early detection could give authorities a better chance to warn residents and to mobilize personnel.

The California government also awarded a $1.6 million contract to Northrop Gruman for the development of an early warning system. Remote sensors in the sky will detect ignitions and send warnings to local dispatches, potentially alerting them to wildfires well in advance of 911 calls. 

Fighting fires with a sound waves

To contain future conflagrations, scientists could use sound waves. The acoustic fire extinguisher, developed at George Mason University suppresses flames with a vortex of low frequency (30-60 Hz) sound waves, which disperses the oxygen that feeds combustion. 

ARSAC (Automation and Robotic Sciences and Artificial Cognizance) recently made the acoustic fire extinguisher one part of a fire-fighting triumvirate that will use sensors to pinpoint “heat blooms” and drones to track and monitor burgeoning fires. Once a fire’s path is mapped, a perimeter of acoustic fire extinguishers could be deployed to keep the wildfire contained. 

Firefighters assisted by apps, NASA-designed technology

A new app called Collector captures data and automatically uploads it when in cell range, allowing firefighters to download maps and work offline, accessing reports, images, and other relevant data without requiring radio communication. 

To protect ground-crews from flames, NASA designed a fire shelter that utilizes space shuttle heat-shield technology. It can withstand temperatures up to 5,000 degrees F, produced when shuttles smash through the atmosphere. For extreme heat resistance, NASA embedded its thermal material with pepper-sized grains of graphite. When exposed to high temperatures, the fabric expands and creates an insulating pocket of air.

New advances promise to save lives

These new technologies are necessary in a world that’s becoming more and more susceptible to massive wildfires. But with science on our side, countless lives may be saved.