AI Predicting Wildfire Behavior

An article recently featured in the Daily Dispatch highlights the utilization of drones, satellites, and artificial intelligence (AI) in combatting wildfires by predicting fire behavior. AI shows promise as a valuable tool for assisting first responders in comprehending the progression of active blazes. However, predicting fire behavior still has a long way to go. The 2020 California wildfires illustrate how past fire behavior may not provide an accurate basis for predicting fire development, primarily due to the altered conditions caused by climate change.

One equation, which is intended to help fire bosses understand fire behavior, is the FARSITE system. However, its creator, Mark Finney, said the equation “has an awful lot of assumptions in it. We're getting there. Nature is a lot more complicated. There are still a number of mysteries on fire behavior, and we don't have a roadmap to follow that tells us whether or not this is good enough for on the ground use.”

Chiefs Bob Horton and Jeff Buchanan spoke with Dr. Kate Kapalo, the Senior Research Scientist and Assistant Director of WFCA’s Applied Sciences Center, about when this technology should come into play.