Precision forestry: A revolution in the woods Precision forestry could improve forest management significantly. What areas are most promising, and how can forestry companies start their digital transformation? McKinsey & Company https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/paper-forest-products-and-packaging/our-insights/precision-forestry-a-revolution-in-the-woods Tech aims to predict problems on power lines before disaster B. Don Russell wasn’t thinking about preventing a wildfire when he developed a tool to detect power line problems before they cause equipment failures, blackouts or even deadly accidents. The electrical engineering professor at Texas A&M University figured he might save a life if his creation could prevent someone from being electrocuted by a downed… Yahoo Finance https://news.yahoo.com/technology-keep-lights-could-help-051812665.html How AI is helping spot wildfires faster | CNN Business As wildfire season raged in California this fall, a startup a few states away used artificial intelligence to pinpoint the location of blazes there within minutes — in some cases far faster than these fires might otherwise be noticed by firefighters or civilians. CNN https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/05/tech/ai-wildfires/index.html Giant filter towers proposed to eliminate Delhi smog | CNN A gigantic network of air filters might seem far off – but its designer wants to get people talking about pollution. CNN https://www.cnn.com/style/article/znera-air-filter-tower-delhi/index.html UC scientists combat wildfires with lifesaving tools, solutions While firefighters battle raging wildfires in Northern and Southern California, the University of California is finding lifesaving solutions to stem the growing threat of fire by harnessing cutting-edge technologies to meet the state’s frightening new reality. University of California https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-scientists-combat-wildfires-lifesaving-tools-solutions Loading... Taking too long? Reload document | Open in new tab Governor Newsom Signs Bills to Enhance Wildfire Mitigation, Preparedness and Response Efforts | Governor of California New laws reflect key recommendations made by Governor’s Strike Force Report on Wildfires & build on $1 billion wildfire and emergency investment in the budget In July, Governor signed a catastrophic… Governor of California https://www.gov.ca.gov/2019/10/02/governor-newsom-signs-bills-to-enhance-wildfire-mitigation-preparedness-and-response-efforts/ Fire Resources | American Institute of Steel Construction www.aisc.org https://www.aisc.org/technical-resources/fire/ California’s wildfires are 500% larger due to climate change, study finds — The Atlantic “Each degree of warming causes way more fire than the previous degree of warming did. And that’s a really big deal.” apple.news https://apple.news/ARU4HKgObRF-NLgzi4sY5AA Bipartisan law pushes use of drones for fighting wildfires The new law directs the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture to develop a research and testing program to explore the use of drones in fire management. FedScoop https://www.fedscoop.com/bipartisan-bill-pushes-use-drones-fighting-wildfires/ Firenadoes and drifting embers: The secrets of extreme wildfires Researchers probe the weather-like physics of deadly infernos Knowable Magazine | Annual Reviews https://www.knowablemagazine.org/article/physical-world/2019/firenadoes-and-drifting-embers-secrets-extreme-wildfires PG&E Says It Probably Caused the Fire That Destroyed Paradise, Calif. (Published 2019) The California utility, which filed for bankruptcy protection in January, recorded a $10.5 billion charge to pay damage claims to victims of the Camp Fire. www.nytimes.com https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/28/business/energy-environment/pge-camp-fire.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage The Tiny Swiss Company That Thinks It Can Help Stop Climate Change (Published 2019) Two European entrepreneurs want to remove carbon from the air at prices cheap enough to matter. www.nytimes.com https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/12/magazine/climeworks-business-climate-change.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage Constellations of Black feminism in UC Berkeley’s archives Stories Stories of UC Berkeley Library https://stories.lib.berkeley.edu/ How AI Is Helping Fight Wildfires Before They Start California firefighters are turning to the state's tech experts for help time.com http://time.com/collection/life-reinvented/5497251/wildfires-artificial-intelligence/?fbclid=IwAR3Q3xwa3DNNeF57VLOCWvHUQMF9gYnxSKn6vFPn0TPpYL8a-Xu8aF69y48 Firefighting Training & Fire Service News | Fire Engineering Training firefighters since 1877. In-depth firefighter training features and videos, structural firefighting tactics and strategy, fire news, and more. Fire Engineering: Firefighter Training and Fire Service News, Rescue https://www.fireengineering.com/articles/2018/10/artificial-intelligence-firefighting.html VR helps investigate fires A system developed by RiVR can scan a scene of real fire damage and then re-create the fire in VR. www.bbc.com https://www.bbc.com/news/av/technology-46432641/vr-helps-investigate-fires How Supercomputers Can Help Fix Our Wildfire Problem Fires spread with a complexity that scientists can pick apart little by little, thanks to lasers, sensors, and some of the most powerful computers. WIRED https://www.wired.com/story/how-supercomputers-can-help-fix-our-wildfire-problem/ Climate change will shrink US economy and kill thousands, government report warns | CNN At a time when many Americans are distracted on a long holiday weekend, the Trump administration released a federally mandated report on climate change that delivers a dire warning about climate change and its devastating impacts on the country’s health and economy. CNN https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/23/health/climate-change-report-bn/index.html ‘Hell on Earth’: The First 12 Hours of California’s Deadliest Wildfire (Published 2018) The Camp Fire, which has killed dozens, quickly devastated the town of Paradise within hours of starting. www.nytimes.com wh=3823D9DC0EA2EC5C589E08E03A4C1133&gwt=pay Tracking the Air Quality in California (Published 2018) An interactive map, updated every six hours, shows where the smoke, and health risk, is most intense. www.nytimes.com https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/16/upshot/california-smoke-map.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage&mtrref=www.nytimes.com Opinion | What the Dutch Can Teach Us About Wildfires (Published 2018) They’re becoming a part of life in the West. But that doesn’t mean they have to be so destructive. www.nytimes.com https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/16/opinion/sunday/what-the-dutch-can-teach-us-about-wildfires.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage In pictures: Wildfires tear across California | CNN Major wildfires in California have destroyed a record number of buildings and displaced more than 300,000 people. CNN https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/08/us/gallery/camp-fire-california-wildfire/index.html Why Does California Have So Many Wildfires? (Published 2018) There are four key ingredients that make the state such a tinderbox. www.nytimes.com https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/09/climate/why-california-fires.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article Americans Are Moving Closer to Nature, and to Fire Danger (Published 2018) More people in California and other states are living in areas known as the wildland-urban interface. Wildfires in those zones pose the greatest risk. www.nytimes.com https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/15/climate/california-fires-wildland-urban-interface.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage Here’s what California’s wildfires look like from space | CNN This week countless photographs have offered close-up depictions of the destruction caused by California wildfires. Now, with the help of its satellites, NASA has released pictures giving a different perspective. CNN https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/10/us/california-wildfires-photo-space-nasa-trnd/index.html To Avoid More California Wildfires, a Utility Tries Shutting Off the Power (Published 2018) As weather conditions threaten another blaze, Pacific Gas and Electric Company said it turned off power for thousands in Northern California. www.nytimes.com https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/us/pge-power-outages-california.html?action=click&module=In%20Other%20News&pgtype=Homepage&action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage Mendocino Fire Reaches Record Size in California (Published 2018) The Mendocino Complex Fire, northwest of Sacramento, topped 290,000 acres as of Tuesday morning, surpassing last year’s Thomas Fire. www.nytimes.com https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/07/us/mendocino-complex-fire-california.html Behind Most Wildfires, a Person and a Spark: ‘We Bring Fire With Us’ (Published 2018) Climate change may be making California’s wildfires more extreme, but they are almost all ignited by human activity, not natural causes. www.nytimes.com https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/20/us/california-wildfires-human-causes-arson.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news Fierce and Unpredictable: How Wildfires Became Infernos (Published 2018) A division of the U.S. Forest Service is studying fire behavior as the blazes in the West become hotter and spread faster than ever before. www.nytimes.com https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/13/science/wildfires-physics.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer See ‘firenado’ snatch firefighter’s hose | CNN Canadian firefighters lost control of their hose while attempting to put out a fiery twister. CNN https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2018/09/19/firefighters-battle-firenado-canada-es-vpx.cnn Do You Know What You’re Breathing? (Published 2018) Personal pollution monitors and masks are exactly what you need for Burning Man. www.nytimes.com https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/30/style/air-quality-pollution-monitors.html?action=click&module=Discovery&pgtype=Homepage https://www.bbc.com/news/av/technology-43811273/the-helmet-which-gives-firefighters-x-ray-vision