Fire Season- How to stop Wildfires? |

It is about the start of fire season. And, those devastating fires in California and Oregon will lead to tremendous loss of trees, property, and life.

Which is why fire control groups in Oregon and California are looking at new techniques to identify where and when the fires may start, so they can get them under control before they become devastating.

These entities have been using satellite imaging and cameras, but those devices do not provide enough of an early warning system. So, these professionals are examining sensors that can detect and measure gases, particulate matter, and heat. The problem is that sensors alone may not be sufficient, But, the hope is with early warning, personnel can be deployed, along with the necessary equipment, to take control before the fires spread and are out of control.

These are especially important in remote areas, where the fires can remain undetected for long period.. Urban fires are generally noticed by residents quickly.

N5Sensors (Rockville Maryland) is working with Oakland Fire Department (and a few other locations) (there are 10 N5Shields in the field) for early detection. These unattended sensors, in conjunction with their AI controls should afford rapid detection of fire potentiality.

Dryad, a German company, claims it can detect conditions when the fire may just be smoldering, which should give ample time to get it under control. These folks are working with CalFire.

These sensors range in cost from $ 10 to about $ 200, and a node (conglomerations of sensors) cost about $ 1000. The downside is if the sensors are too sensitive, there can be a slew of false alerts. If they are not sensitive enough, it could miss the start of some fires.

Which is why they may still be used in conjunction with satellites for the larger picture, but satellites also don’t identify the smaller fires. Another technique is to link up drones can monitor the situation while satellites are redeployed to see where the fire could spread.

Let’s hope they get this stuff working well before another devastating fire looms.