xPrize Wildfire – $11M Prize Competition
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xPrize Wildfire – $11M Prize Competition
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Re: xPrize Wildfire – $11M Prize Competition
#2Not sure that completely stopping wildfires is a good idea as many species of plants depend on fire for seed germination. I think controlled burns may be the way to go instead of preventing wildfires completely
Re: xPrize Wildfire – $11M Prize Competition
#3Best way to end destructive fires is to light destructive fires.
The real purpose of fighting these fires seem to be protecting the logging industry.
Re: xPrize Wildfire – $11M Prize Competition
#4[dead]
Re: xPrize Wildfire – $11M Prize Competition
#5It seems like the prize is not evaluated based on being able to predict wildfire behavior, but specifically on technologies for quashing wildfires as they start. The former makes a lot of sense, while the latter assumes an outdated perspective on wildland management.
Who does this serve?
Re: xPrize Wildfire – $11M Prize Competition
#6It's not really a competition at putting out wildfires, moreso detecting and tracking them. There are 3 separate prizes, so to speak.
$5M Autonomous Wildfire Response Track
$5M Space-Based Wildfire Detection and Intelligence Track
$1M Lockheed Martin Accurate Detection Intelligence Bonus Prize
Re: xPrize Wildfire – $11M Prize Competition
#7On one hand this effort sounds like a good way to generate some interesting concepts. On the other hand, as a long-time resident of a rural, wildfire-prone area, it's also important to educate the public and politicians that there is a large body of proven land management best practices that can already significantly improve prevention, control and mitigation. While we can always do better, we often aren't sufficiently utilizing the tools and techniques we already have.
The issues are more often political, economic and systemic than they are not knowing effective ways to further reduce risks and harm. Things like properly managed controlled burns are under-utilized because they are politically controversial. Enacting and enforcing codes mandating land management around private structures are politically unpopular. Out where I live, the local fire rangers just point-blank tell property owners "If you don't clear out all the brush and downed trees within a couple hundred feet of your structures, we're defending your house after the others that meet code" but no politician is willing to tell voters that. Worse, land owners continue to get permits issued to construct permanent dwellings in isolated locations which are extremely difficult to defend. If they want to build there, I say let them but also issue fair warning if they choose to proceed, they are on their own in the event of fire. Volunteer firefighters shouldn't need to risk their lives to defend houses which should never have been built in inaccessible, indefensible locations.
Re: xPrize Wildfire – $11M Prize Competition
#8Not sure that completely stopping wildfires is a good idea as many species of plants depend on fire for seed germination. I think controlled burns may be the way to go instead of preventing wildfires completely
And the competition is not about completely stopping wildfires, as is clearly stated on the linked page. They target what they call Extreme Wildfire Events which are roughly 3% of all wildfires. The focus is on detecting and suppressing those, as those 3% of all wildfires account for 80% of the total damages.
Re: xPrize Wildfire – $11M Prize Competition
#9Not sure that completely stopping wildfires is a good idea as many species of plants depend on fire for seed germination. I think controlled burns may be the way to go instead of preventing wildfires completely
Controlled burns have been shown to be carbon negative. The destroy invasive species that have not evolved to handle the natural processes native to an area.
Humans are actually the biggest issue, once again. Prescribed burns are healthy for ecosystems and for the planet itself.
Re: xPrize Wildfire – $11M Prize Competition
#10Best way to end destructive fires is to light destructive fires. The real purpose of fighting these fires seem to be protecting the logging industry.
The majority of the logging industry is a good thing for the planet. When you log sustainably, you take fixated carbon, turn it into a product that can be used, then allow the area to regrow, fixated more carbon as a building product. The vast majority of the time, it's a win-win.
The negatives are supplying things like cheap paper to the post office for marketing departments to across to spam people using US Postal Mail. _Thats_ what needs to be stopped, as it's just a waste.