West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is taking significant steps to combat the rising threat of wildfires in the region. The last few years has seen the testing and implementation of new tools such as advanced mapping technology and weather forecasting applications to help predict fire behavior. This collaborative effort is taking action against the shocking increase in wildfires. Areas such as Marsden Moor and Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire have taken the brunt.
Dr. Kamran Mahroof, a key figure from the University of Bradford, discussed the implications of these developments at a recent conference in Birmingham. The service has introduced lightweight personal protective equipment to support firefighters during prolonged operations, ensuring their safety while tackling these challenging incidents.
“Wildfires are a global phenomenon and have been increasing in frequency and intensity in recent years,” Dr. Mahroof stated, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. As climate change continues to worsen, West Yorkshire has experienced an increase in wildfire occurrences. In reaction, local leaders are hard at work looking for creative ways to address this pressing crisis.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is going above and beyond with its firefighting efforts. They are using purpose-built all-terrain vehicles that focus on the unique challenges wildfires present. This approach blends extremely well with the objectives of the 6G-VERSUS research project. This EU-funded project, called MEDEA, aims to enhance wildfire detection and emergency response through advanced technology.
The University of Bradford team will be travelling to Greece next year as part of the 6G-VERSUS project. In response to what the most important objective of this research is, Dr. Mahroof described it simply as “detecting wildfires at the earliest stage possible.” The project is focused on developing a combined robotic dog and aerial drone system, which will significantly improve situational awareness for first responders in wildfire scenarios.
“In the Greek pilot of SNS-JU 6G-VERSUS, we’re developing a combined robotic dog and aerial drone system that boosts situational awareness for first responders during wildfires.” – Team
This cutting-edge technology uses artificial intelligence to process camera feeds in real time. By employing 6G links to transmit this data, first responders can quickly identify individuals at risk and allocate resources effectively, thereby enhancing their safety during operations.
“By applying AI to interpret real-time camera feeds and using 6G links to relay the data, we can help teams quickly identify people at risk and deploy resources where they’re needed most, all while keeping responders safe.” – Team
Consider, for example, how much West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service thirstily seeks to innovate, adapt and adopt new technology. They might get in touch with our University of Bradford team to work on building further developments from 6G-VERSUS improvements.
