Ah, yes...nice to see I am not the only one here that can't resist coming up with potential solutions/innovations...even while we discuss/debate challenge design.
Thank you for inviting me to share my opinion regarding the Wildfires
At this Designing a Prize stage, in order to have relevant solutions in projects, the focus should be on Preventing and Responding to wildfires.
Most often, the wildfires start with an ancient method of ground burning, to ensure quality of the ground. To Prevent these actions that can be destructive now, it needs focus on Education regarding the Beautiful, Vital and Priceless Nature, Changes in Climate and the repercussions.
From a few years ago, because the Climate Change, strong winds, high temperature, drought, transform the wildfires in a critical problem, now, what I think arrives to be mandatory, is to find and Create innovative fire extinguishing solutions. And the main focus, should be on the efficient and efficacy solutions.
The tech is very important and it has to sustain what I consider at least as important, and this is the idea; the idea on „how”; even, if it seems to be crazy at the beginning.
#ActForFireExtingueshing
@Almog fascinating idea, and exactly the sort of thing we're hoping a team might come up with in the course of the competition. Quick question: do you have any information regarding SWIR in the context of wildfire? We're interested in learning more!
Yes, exactly...we contributors/designers (who are also solvers - I know @akb is!) should exercise some discipline there...it's 'challenging' to not contribute solution ideas while contributing design ideas!
Everyone's contributions have been excellent so far, and we really appreciate all the conversations the community has had around these topics so far! Let us know if you have any questions or ideas about these topics - or if there's other topics you'd think would be great to cover next in the design!
A few words about IR imaging in relation to wildfires. Thermal signature of the fire front is under the thermal signature of the smoke. From my experience (operating IR cameras over hundreds of hours), it is hard to separate between those two signatures, especially through dense smoke.
Last thing, the use of SWIR technology for detecting wildfires hot spots is getting highly cost effective over time.
I think SWIR technology could meet the need of accurate detection of fire front and multiple hot spots over wide area.
@Almog , thank you so much for your post and for all your helpful contributions to the community. This SWIR technology sounds pretty incredible! Are there any downsides or limitations to the technology currently?
XPrize proposal “Wildfire Control & Extinction to any event”.
I suggest establishing a prize for those who can propose a method that allows “Control & Extinguish” wildfire of large size, in forests with highly combustible material (dry material), under conditions of strong winds, currently defined as “fires outside of control ”and / or“ firestorms ”.
The Prize could be called “Wildfire Control & Extinction to any event”.
In defining the requirements to win the prize, the ability to “Control” the progress of the Wildfire in the shortest possible time should be highlighted. This must be the first and urgent objective.
To do this, you must first create a strip in the head of the wildfire to prevent it from moving forward. Then a peripheral strip must be created, so that the burned area is isolated and the wildfire is considered controlled, preventing its spread. See Data Sheet N° 2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZqH4LmWjj74tLSD4ZraVwbL7tX15YtXS/view?usp=sharing
The “Extinction” (total), it will be determined by the management policy of the forest and of the plant mass in general. This it will determine if the total extinction is carried out or that dead trees or vegetation that could feed future fires is allowed to be consumed.
Another condition for awarding the prize would be to have the ability to achieve a "fast suppression" with high wind speeds.
At present when the conditions in which the Wildfire develops are unfavorable, highly combustible material and strong wind, the Wildfire is usually declared as “wildfire out of control”. A condition for awarding the prize would be the ability to eliminate “wildfire out of control”.
Another requirement would be to have the ability to extinguish the “fire storms”.
“A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires and wildfires. Although the term has been used to describe certain large fires, the phenomenon's determining characteristic is a fire with its own storm-force winds from every point of the compass.” Wikipedia.
It is evident that with the current extinguishing methods based on throwing water with or without additives above the flames, the previous requirements cannot be met. Most of the water evaporates without reaching the target. It is necessary to reach the base of the fire with water as recommended by good extinguishing practices.
This can be achieved with my invention with Patent pending N° 20183344: "Water-CO2 cluster bombs at high pressure". See Data Sheet No. 1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s-W5Ja6qN9BistAtPTmfq0jwL51A0vuD/view?usp=sharing
Following @DanSelz question about SWIR. I really don't see any downsides or limitations of this technology currently. The cost-effective ratio of operating SWIR camera is VERY high. I have all the numbers if required (cost, performance, etc. )
Drones integrated with high energy acoustic generators to extinguish wildland fires. Utilizing frequency Heterodyne over air extinguish fire without water.
With special drones, the process of extinguishing the fire could be completely automated using an RPA solution. It has also to be projected for 100% and very efficient extinguishing, and to be completely harmless for any other part of the nature.
XPrize design proposal: Annual XPrize for wildfire Fighting
Why Annual?
Unlike the prize that was awarded to the one that crossed the Atlantic for the first time by plane, it is about establishing a permanent stimulus that makes it possible to improve the combat of the wildfires. It is very difficult to establish a prize that, once awarded, complies with encouraging the permanent innovation that is required in the case of the fight against the wildfires. The Prize would be similar to establishing an annual Olympics of the wildfire Fight.
What actions to reward?
The wildfire fight is considered to consist of two parts, the Control and Extinguish of the wildfire. The first objective is Control and is to extinguish a strip in the head of the fire that prevents the fire from spreading. Followed by a similar action that allows to form a peripheral strip. If a total extinction is made or not, it will depend on what determines the best management of the forest. It might be useful to let dead trees or bushes that could serve as fuel for future wildfires be burned. Therefore, the Prize will mainly stimulate wildfire Control.
Historical Record to the Fight of the wildfires.
To award the prize, a historical record of the actions of the different competing teams will be kept. These will mainly have resources for early warning and resources for fire extinguish. The action of each team in similar fires will be compared. To do this, fires will be classified by size and intensity.
Class of fire according size: The National Wildfire Coordinating Group https://www.nwcg.gov/
o Class A - one-fourth acre or less;
o Class B - more than one-fourth acre, but less than 10 acres;
o Class C - 10 acres or more, but less than 100 acres;
o Class D - 100 acres or more, but less than 300 acres;
o Class E - 300 acres or more, but less than 1,000 acres;
o Class F - 1,000 acres or more, but less than 5,000 acres;
o Class G - 5,000 acres or more.
Comments
At this Designing a Prize stage, in order to have relevant solutions in projects, the focus should be on Preventing and Responding to wildfires.
Most often, the wildfires start with an ancient method of ground burning, to ensure quality of the ground. To Prevent these actions that can be destructive now, it needs focus on Education regarding the Beautiful, Vital and Priceless Nature, Changes in Climate and the repercussions.
From a few years ago, because the Climate Change, strong winds, high temperature, drought, transform the wildfires in a critical problem, now, what I think arrives to be mandatory, is to find and Create innovative fire extinguishing solutions. And the main focus, should be on the efficient and efficacy solutions.
The tech is very important and it has to sustain what I consider at least as important, and this is the idea; the idea on „how”; even, if it seems to be crazy at the beginning.
#ActForFireExtingueshing
- Whether teams's solutions should be autonomous;
- What kinds of additional rounds of testing we should possibly include (for instance, wind tunnels); and
- Elements of the design of the test fire, including fuel (chaparral, etc., and alternatives).
Everyone's contributions have been excellent so far, and we really appreciate all the conversations the community has had around these topics so far! Let us know if you have any questions or ideas about these topics - or if there's other topics you'd think would be great to cover next in the design!The capability to detect the fire front through dense smoke with SWIR camera in compare to CCD is shown here:
A few words about IR imaging in relation to wildfires. Thermal signature of the fire front is under the thermal signature of the smoke. From my experience (operating IR cameras over hundreds of hours), it is hard to separate between those two signatures, especially through dense smoke.
Last thing, the use of SWIR technology for detecting wildfires hot spots is getting highly cost effective over time.
I think SWIR technology could meet the need of accurate detection of fire front and multiple hot spots over wide area.
I suggest establishing a prize for those who can propose a method that allows “Control & Extinguish” wildfire of large size, in forests with highly combustible material (dry material), under conditions of strong winds, currently defined as “fires outside of control ”and / or“ firestorms ”.
The Prize could be called “Wildfire Control & Extinction to any event”.
In defining the requirements to win the prize, the ability to “Control” the progress of the Wildfire in the shortest possible time should be highlighted. This must be the first and urgent objective.
To do this, you must first create a strip in the head of the wildfire to prevent it from moving forward. Then a peripheral strip must be created, so that the burned area is isolated and the wildfire is considered controlled, preventing its spread. See Data Sheet N° 2:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZqH4LmWjj74tLSD4ZraVwbL7tX15YtXS/view?usp=sharing
The “Extinction” (total), it will be determined by the management policy of the forest and of the plant mass in general. This it will determine if the total extinction is carried out or that dead trees or vegetation that could feed future fires is allowed to be consumed.
Another condition for awarding the prize would be to have the ability to achieve a "fast suppression" with high wind speeds.
At present when the conditions in which the Wildfire develops are unfavorable, highly combustible material and strong wind, the Wildfire is usually declared as “wildfire out of control”. A condition for awarding the prize would be the ability to eliminate “wildfire out of control”.
Another requirement would be to have the ability to extinguish the “fire storms”.
“A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires and wildfires. Although the term has been used to describe certain large fires, the phenomenon's determining characteristic is a fire with its own storm-force winds from every point of the compass.” Wikipedia.
It is evident that with the current extinguishing methods based on throwing water with or without additives above the flames, the previous requirements cannot be met. Most of the water evaporates without reaching the target. It is necessary to reach the base of the fire with water as recommended by good extinguishing practices.
This can be achieved with my invention with Patent pending N° 20183344: "Water-CO2 cluster bombs at high pressure". See Data Sheet No. 1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s-W5Ja6qN9BistAtPTmfq0jwL51A0vuD/view?usp=sharing
It's on barriers to the potential winning solutions that would come out of the Wildfires competition. What might prevent or hold back their application in the field?
Looking forward to all of your comments there! And let us know if you have any other thoughts or ideas at the moment.
Annual XPrize for wildfire Fighting
Why Annual?
Unlike the prize that was awarded to the one that crossed the Atlantic for the first time by plane, it is about establishing a permanent stimulus that makes it possible to improve the combat of the wildfires. It is very difficult to establish a prize that, once awarded, complies with encouraging the permanent innovation that is required in the case of the fight against the wildfires. The Prize would be similar to establishing an annual Olympics of the wildfire Fight.
What actions to reward?
The wildfire fight is considered to consist of two parts, the Control and Extinguish of the wildfire. The first objective is Control and is to extinguish a strip in the head of the fire that prevents the fire from spreading. Followed by a similar action that allows to form a peripheral strip. If a total extinction is made or not, it will depend on what determines the best management of the forest. It might be useful to let dead trees or bushes that could serve as fuel for future wildfires be burned. Therefore, the Prize will mainly stimulate wildfire Control.
Historical Record to the Fight of the wildfires.
To award the prize, a historical record of the actions of the different competing teams will be kept. These will mainly have resources for early warning and resources for fire extinguish. The action of each team in similar fires will be compared. To do this, fires will be classified by size and intensity.
Class of fire according size: The National Wildfire Coordinating Group https://www.nwcg.gov/
o Class A - one-fourth acre or less;
o Class B - more than one-fourth acre, but less than 10 acres;
o Class C - 10 acres or more, but less than 100 acres;
o Class D - 100 acres or more, but less than 300 acres;
o Class E - 300 acres or more, but less than 1,000 acres;
o Class F - 1,000 acres or more, but less than 5,000 acres;
o Class G - 5,000 acres or more.
Wildfire Burn Severity Classification USDA. Natural Resources Conservation Service https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/mt/programs/planning/ewpp/nrcs144p2_056249/
Low Fire Severity (Type III)
Medium Fire Severity (Type II)
High Fire Severity (Type I)
Early warning.
A score will be established for the ability of each team to establish and react according to an early alert.
Example of comparative score table. SCORE:
Team N° Wildfire Size Wildfire Severity Early warning Total
1
2