IoT Technology: Transforming Wildfire Management for a Safer Future
As devastating wildfires continue to ravage Canadian forests, with smog reaching as far as Washington DC, the need for effective solutions becomes more pressing than ever.
Wildfires have been an enduring part of human history, but their severity and frequency have seen a significant surge in recent decades. This concerning trend is projected to worsen, with UN researchers predicting a 50 percent increase in wildfire events by the end of the century.
The escalation of wildfires can be attributed, in part, to the impact of climate change, resulting in longer drought periods and higher temperatures that amplify vegetation flammability. This destructive cycle is further exacerbated by the carbon emissions from wildfires, which in turn accelerate climate change. For instance, the EU’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service reported that in 2021 alone, wildfires released a staggering 1.76 billion tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere.
Addressing this pressing issue, wireless technologies are now emerging as crucial tools to combat and prevent wildfires effectively.
Early Detection and Prevention with IoT Technology
To illustrate the devastating effects of wildfires, we can look at the Australian “Black Summer” of 2019–20, where widespread blazes engulfed 186,200 square kilometers, leading to the loss of 3,500 homes and over a billion animal fatalities. In the aftermath, an official inquiry identified the underutilization of technology and emphasized the need to leverage available technological advancements and research capabilities.
Remote sensing technology has emerged as a powerful solution for early detection of blazes, offering better tracking of flame front progression and intensity. These sensors also provide valuable insights into vegetation dryness, aiding efforts to prevent wildfires.
IoT sensors strategically placed on trees in fire-prone forests can detect gases emitted during the smoldering phase, providing authorities with early warnings. These sensors can also monitor crucial environmental indicators like temperature and humidity levels. When integrated with long-range wireless connectivity and dedicated GNSS, they enable fire crews to pinpoint the precise location of the flame front, enhancing response effectiveness.
Real-world Implementation: IoT in Action
Chirp’s Global IoT network presents a significant advantage in the battle against wildfires. With its expansive global coverage, Chirp can monitor and connect devices in any part of the world, enabling effective wildfire detection and prevention measures. Being brand and radio agnostic, Chirp supports a wide range of technologies, including LoRa 2.4 GHz, LoRaWAN, and Cellular, allowing seamless integration of various devices. This versatility ensures that IoT sensors placed in forests prone to wildfires can leverage Chirp’s network to transmit real-time data on temperature, humidity, gas emissions, and other critical environmental indicators. By harnessing Chirp’s capabilities, authorities and fire crews can enhance their situational awareness, response times, and coordination efforts, ultimately minimizing the risk and impact of devastating wildfires.
Addressing Engineering Challenges and Connectivity
While IoT devices offer immense potential for wildfire management, recent deployments in remote forests have revealed key engineering challenges. The large size and inaccessibility of many forests require sensors to be placed in hard-to-reach areas for extended periods, highlighting the critical need for solutions that support extended battery life and energy harvesting.
Ensuring reliable connectivity across vast areas poses another significant challenge. While NB-IoT is an ideal solution with its long-range capabilities and suitability for battery-powered sensors, its feasibility may be limited in regions with inadequate cellular infrastructure. In such cases, LoRaWAN technology can be explored.
The Importance of Prevention and Cost Considerations
The official inquiry into Australia’s Black Summer fires emphasized that investing in preventative measures is far more cost-effective than emergency response and rebuilding efforts. A study by Switzerland-based Distrelec Group supports this notion, revealing that the cost of deploying sensors to cover Spain’s forest density for wildfire prevention amounted to just 0.0083 percent of the funds spent on fighting forest fires. Similar conclusions were drawn for several European nations.
While wildfires will continue to pose significant challenges amidst climate change, Chirp’s Network and IoT devices hold promise for improving wildfire management across all stages, from prevention to response and recovery.
