A California company recently began demonstrating a system that allows firefighters to direct autonomous drones to combat wildfires. While departments already use observation drones, deploying them to...
  • TrackinDaKraken@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4 days

    I feel like I read a few years back that aggressive suppression of wildfires leads to more and bigger fires.

    The fuel piles up and eventually something sets it off, then there’s no stopping it.

    • bluGill@fedia.io
      3 days

      See a qualified forester for the specific area. There are many different forests and they have different needs so no universal statement can be made.

      Most of the forests in north America need regular fires and have been harmed by centuries of white men putting them out. However that means centuries of overgrowth and so starting one now is a too hot fire that isn’t helpful either. The great plains need to burn yearly as well.

      A proper fire should leave lots of charcoal behind that gets beat into the soil and naturally permanently sequesters tons of carbon. So this is a factor in global warming.

      The problem is a few people have money for lawyers and anytime an expert proposes a fire they get a judge to issue an injunction and stop it until it is too late to safely burn. I’m not sure what to do about this but it is something to oppose.

    • 🇰 🌀 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 🇮 @pawb.socialEnglish
      4 days

      In California national parks, they will start controlled fires on occasion just because fires can be beneficial to growth. The plant debris can block light and stuff, and burning it turns to ash that helps add nutrients back into the soil.

      IDK if that’s done elsewhere in the country or the world.

      • huey_m@piefed.socialEnglish
        3 days

        There are also plants specifically adapted for wildfires. Sequoias (and I think redwoods) need them to open their cones and they can’t propagate in their own leaf litter, they need to be cleared by fire.

    • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      3 days

      There’s better/worse times to burn off excess vegetation and get the natural fire cycle restarted. During Santa Anas (hot dry strong winds) and drought, it would be better to quash a small fire quickly before it becomes several enormous ones. Then you could go back after some winter rains and set a controlled burn.

    • TIEPilot@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4 days

      I have a buddy that worked comm’s at the remote firefighter camps. He always said this was the biggest issue the smoke jumpers/FF’s talked about.

    • frongt@lemmy.zipEnglish
      3 days

      Yes, it’s been well known, especially in California. Other places around the world are only learning this now apparently due to climate change.

    • cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
      3 days

      These are big drones that carry 100 pounds of fire retardant. It will be interesting to see how well they work.

        • BakedCatboy@lemmy.mlEnglish
          3 days

          Fyi the filters are instance based, so the person you replied to and probably some of the people who downvoted you have no idea what you’re talking about. Only we can see it because we’re on .ml

  • HertzDentalBar@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    4 days

    How about 500 drones all holding up a section of hose from a river or lake to get at steep hills with a constant spray

  • melsaskca@lemmy.caEnglish
    3 days

    What!? That money should be used for forest raking! Tech Bros win yet again. /s

  • carrylex@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3 days

    I bet 5 AI Tokens that one of these shiters will somehow crash and start a wildfire…

    Maybe consider investing more in fire fighting equipment… or also crazy idea: use satellites that monitor wild fires… oh wait they already did that… or maybe forbid using gas turbine powered AI datacenters that heat up the planet…