Explicit consequence of climate change and global warmingForest fires are today one of the biggest threats to life on the planet, causing negative impacts on human habitats and ecosystems.
In a scenario where, according to studies, traditional solutions such as watchman, satellite image processing and digital cameras are unable to contain devastation.
In this context, the US internal security department (DHS) is testing an unprecedented technology: chemical sensors capable of detecting the first signs of smoke in the air.
The idea here is to issue early alerts to firefighters at the early stage of a possible forest fire still in its latent phase.
In 2023, a DHS partner company, N5 Sensors, implemented 200 forest fire sensors in various US and Canada locations. In an interview with the company’s CEO, Abhishek Motayed, says the device does not seek flames, but “Fingerprints of the fire”.
Global fire and warming
Forest fires can function as a feedback for the climate in two main ways. First, burnt trees and vegetation release carbon dioxide that is taken back to the atmosphere.
According to the European Union Climate Change Monitoring Service, the in 2023 generated 2170 megatons of carbon emissions.
But it’s not just the increase in CO2 that worries when we talk about burning trees. It is that, when absorbing atmospheric carbon to make photosynthesis, they are quintessential gas.
These natural carbon fades are crucial in the context of climate change. Forests, oceans and soils are fundamental to regulating the global carbon cycle.
Recent research from the UK meteorological office states that by reducing the planet’s ability to store carbon, to the achievement of the Paris Agreement goals.
Therefore, the prevention of these environmental disasters has become today, as well as an essential element for protecting lives and properties, also a priority for mitigating climate change.
Is it possible to predict forest fires?
The great differential of fire detection sensors is that its new generation brings chemical devices capable of detecting the first breath of smoke in the air, Sending a warning to firefighters before the flames appear.
According to Motayed of N5, the sensors produced by your company collect data on chemical concentrations and particulate material, as well as temperature and humidity, among others.
Food by solar energy, these detection devices are installed individually on power posts and traffic lights, with the capacity to monitor up to 400 hectares of land.
Sensor groups can form a network to integrate a real -time digital map of soil conditions in particularly vulnerable landscapes.
The network then uses to compare its measurements with nearby sensor readings to determine if a fire has begun.
You can even identify your potential cause, whether in a barbecue or inside the forest, based on the chemical signature. And with the help of wind sensors, the algorithm can predict the direction in which the fire can spread.
First results of early fires detection
It is important to highlight that this type of technology is not intended, but is designed for areas near cities vulnerable to forest fires, says DHS Dan Cotter.
Speaking to Newscientist, the main director of the American Agency’s Science and Engineering office says the idea is to “capture the first molecules or chemical signatures of a fire so that the authorities can be alerted and we can do early suppression.”
In this sense, the pilot has already presented some positive results. Last year, sensors captured a fire in Colorado, which rekindled after the firefighters departed.
This type of occurrence, difficult to detect, because the professionals had already done the aftermath, was detected 37 minutes before a resident called 911. By this time, the firefighters were already back to the scene.
