In the United States, the forest fire season is generally from early spring to fall. But this year has already experienced major fires out of season. Los Angeles county fires resulted in at least 30 deaths, as well as losses of goods and economic which could exceed $ 130 billion.
In recent years, forest fires have become more frequent and dangerous. The technologies that detect them improve. But how could this technology be advanced to detect fires earlier?
Today’s Watchblog post looks at our new Science and technology science On forest fire detection tools.
How is the current forest fire detection technology used?
Detection of forest fires could allow faster responses to prevent them from spreading. This could prevent tragic loss of life, as well as houses and businesses.
Several technologies are currently used to detect forest fires. Although they all have advantages, everyone has specific limitations that can reduce their effectiveness.
Satellite. The American government has used satellites to detect forest fires for decades. More specifically, NASA and NOAA (the Oceanic and Atmospheric National Administration) use satellites for this purpose. Satellites can capture images showing fires in large areas of earth. But their older altitudes and sensors can make them difficult to detect small fires before degenerating. Their image resolution is also limited and data delays can occur.
There are efforts to improve these tools. For example, a private non -profit group launched a satellite as a pilot program to detect forest fires in 2025. This program aims to provide better resolution and faster data with 50 of these orbit satellites by 2030.
Avions and drones. Federal agencies – notably the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service and the Forest Service – often deploy planes when a fire is reported or suspected. But these planes are only used sporadically for advanced detection. For example, they are used when the risks of the fire season are high and justify the costs of steering proactive patrols. Pilots also need specific training and certification, and smoke and fire can be dangerous for their health.
Drones can also be used to detect forest fires. Some public service companies use drones to inspect the belted power lines and the branches of trees affecting wires, which can cause fires. But drones have limited flight beaches and could crash if they are overtaken by smoke or fire.
Cameras and sensors. Many forest fires occur in distant areas. Cameras near wild lands can monitor smoke or fire in real time. Portable sensors that measure air quality can also be placed on or close to trees to search for heat or humidity that may indicate a fire.
Cameras and sensors can be organized in networks in high -risk areas. This method was used in California. He started using images of more than 1,100 cameras throughout the state in 2023 to detect forest fires. Likewise, the Ministry of Internal Security has a study in progress of hundreds of air quality sensors.
However, the implementation of cameras and sensors in distant areas and to ensure that the data they collect is accurate can be difficult.
Current and emerging forest fire detection technologies
What is the next step for forest fire detection technology?
Researchers and businesses, as well as states and federal agencies, are looking for ways to improve the detection of forest fires. They want to improve the speed and precision of these technologies so that they can better direct the responders, reduce the number of false alerts and save costs.
But there are important problems to consider. For example, as a part of this technology is still being evaluated, it is difficult to know the best and profitable combination to use. Technological costs must also be balanced with the costs of other fire prevention efforts (such as cleaning of vegetation).
Finally, it is not easy to integrate and compare the data collected from different detection technologies by various public and private organizations, in particular in the event of an emergency when respondents must analyze the information and respond quickly. An approach that could help is a unified tool that draws data from all relevant technologies to provide real -time view of potential forest fires. This could help federal, state, local and private organizations to detect and respond to forest fires faster.
Find out more about forest fire detection technology by consulting our recent Science and technology science.
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