The University of Bradford showcased its pioneering research into a new technology to detect wildfires at a recent event in Birmingham. This effort forms part of the wider Horizon 2020 6G-VERSUS research programme. The project is supported by the European Union’s Horizon Innovation Action programme. The collaborative project aims to reveal how 6G technology can address the most pressing challenges facing the world as a whole. It pays particular attention to the increasing frequency of wildfires.
Dr. Kamran Mahroof, a chief investigator of the University of Bradford team, emphasized the timeliness for their study. He added that “wildfires are not a domestic phenomenon, they’re global” and that they’ve been getting worse “in terms of frequency, intensity in recent years.” This dangerous trend, along with the increasing frequency of wildfires, has catalyzed the team to create innovative new solutions to detect wildfires quickly.
Through a large national scale pilot test, starting next year in Greece, 6G-VERSUS project will bring these technologies into practice. Its mission is to spot wildfires as soon as they ignite. In a separate session, Dr. Mahroof highlighted the project’s pledge to prioritize early detection. He said, “The entire concept for us is to detect wildfires early.”
At the Birmingham workshop, specialists explored avenues where AI paired with other state-of-the-art technologies can tackle hurdles posed by the environment. We learned firsthand from Dr. Mahroof about their innovative approach. As a result, he explained, “We are using new technologies such as 6G, drones, and even robotic dogs to identify where fires may spark and help extinguish them in advance as quickly as we can.” Through this exciting application of state-of-the-art technology, fire prevention initiatives can be strengthened while allowing responders to reach emergencies more quickly.
Similarly, the local fire and rescue service, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS), stand to gain from the findings of this research. While WYFRS said it was not familiar with “this specific technology,” there is room for overlap here. At the moment, WYFRS uses standard mapping resources and weather forecasting software to forecast fire behavior. Further, they have deployed new lightweight personal protective equipment tailored to help firefighters operate in greater duration and for extended efforts on wildland fire fronts. All-terrain vehicles, or ATVs, round out their arsenal when it comes to emergency response adventures.
