Sophisticated computer tracking and mapping technology is the next line of defense in attacking wildfires that have become increasingly deadly and destructive in California and around the world, experts said at a conference Wednesday at Sacramento State.
But more firefighters on the ground, better forest management, improved alert systems and “hardening” of infrastructure also must play roles in controlling wildfires that now occur throughout the year in western states, said speakers at the Wildfire Technology Innovation Summit.
In California in 2017 and 2018, fires killed more than 100 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Wildfires burned 875,000 acres in the state last year. Global warming and drought have conspired to fuel extraordinarily intense fires that are exploding through forests and into urban areas, climate specialists say.
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