A call for collaboration
Wildfire Technology Management Conference
Chief Brian Fennessy introduces Rain during his presentation. Watch a summary here, and in full here.
A few weeks ago we attended the 2023 Wildfire Technology Management Summit, where we heard firsthand from fire industry leaders about their concerns, what they’re most excited to be implementing in their agencies this year, and the current state-of-the art fire technology. The summit is intimate, and has representatives from leadership at all levels from federal to county agencies. Speakers included the Deputy US Fire Administrator, Chief Tonya Hoover, Department of the Interior Director of the Office of Wildland Fire, Jeff Rupert, and the National Director of Fire & Aviation Management for the US Forest Service, Jerry Perez. What I found notable was just how many speakers we heard echoing a single sentiment: a broad, consistent call for fire agencies and fire tech to find ways to collaborate so that we can improve how we handle fire.
From the Union of Concerned Scientists: The average size of wildfires in western North America has increased since the 1980s. Note that the data are limited to fires larger than 1,000 acres. SOURCES: Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity; Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Service.
It’s clear that fire agencies are facing unprecedented fire conditions. At Rain we’ve been reading this article by the Union of Concerned Scientists on what to expect as ‘the new normal’ for fire season, which is exactly what’s on the mind of fire agencies everywhere. More than one speaker gave the message, “I’m not talking about wildland fire right now. I’m talking about wildfire because those lines we used to draw between what’s a forest fire and an urban fire don’t apply anymore.” We also heard from many that there’s a growing appetite for collaboration with technology companies, and fire agencies are ready to help drive innovation to solve their problems. Chief Kate Dargan Marquis, who was leading a panel discussion said,
“We have to harness industry-agency collaboration. Ten years from idea to application—we don’t have that kind of time anymore.”
“People are realizing that there’s not going to be a firetruck in every driveway,” Dr. Chris Dicus, Professor of Wildland Fire & Fuels Management at Cal Poly, told the audience. Agencies are shifting to work with technology companies to make sure they understand their needs.
Rain was there at the summit in particular to hear Chief Brian Fennessy’s talk, which we recorded. Watch a summary, or the full talk here. Chief Fennessy of the Orange County Fire Authority (named one of the Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers for 2023) is well known for being creative about technology implementation and creating the tools he needs.
"For many years we’ve talked about autonomous aircraft. It’s not something in the future. It’s here now and we need to deal with it and invest in it."
The BurnBot RX1, a first of its kind remote technology that delivers precise and safe blackline burns for fuels reduction and prescribed fire projects.
Parked outside the conference center, our fellow Convective Capital investee introduced their BurnBot RX1, a first of its kind remote technology that delivers precise and safe blackline burns for fuels reduction and prescribed fire projects. This modern fuel treatment system recognizes and supports conservation efforts with a clean, minimal-to-zero smoke processing. The RX1 technology helps prescribed fire practitioners to safely burn in unfavorable conditions.
The RX1 and other exhibitions displayed fire technology that covered a wide range of applications ranging from fire detection and monitoring, to fuel modeling. One of the most notable aspects of who we saw exhibiting in the hall was that it was clear everyone there was committed to working on technology that can make a difference to the people who rely on it to keep communities safe. In other words, we felt right at home.
Rain, a leader in automated aerial wildfire technology, is helping firefighting agencies more rapidly suppress wildfires during the earliest stages of ignition, containing wildfires before they grow out of control. Developed in tandem with fire professionals, Rain’s technology easily integrates into existing firefighting aircraft, adding a layer of automation that enables aircraft to be pre-positioned in remote locations, resulting in accelerated response time. Rain is a privately held company headquartered in Alameda, California. For occasional updates about our technology, sign up for newsletters or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
