West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is taking significant steps to combat the rising threat of wildfires in the region. Wildfire incidents have increased dramatically during the past few years, with large scale wildfires occurring recently at Marsden Moor and Ilkley Moor. In return, the service has adopted all-terrain vehicles, state-of-the-art mapping systems and weather forecasting apps to improve their fire response tactics.
The introduction of new, lightweight wildfire personal protective equipment is designed to keep firefighters safe and more comfortable in longer operational periods. Any of these measures would increase safety and efficiency for those fighting our growing number of dangerous wildfires. They’re underpinned by a wider commitment to combat the growing incidence of such fires across West Yorkshire.
Dr. Kamran Mahroof, University of Bradford, recently talked about a new trial for wildfire detection during the Big Data in Transport conference held in Birmingham. He further stressed that wildfires are a growing global problem that is continuing to grow in both frequency and intensity.
“Wildfires are a global phenomenon and have been increasing in frequency and intensity in recent years.” – Dr Kamran Mahroof
As Dr. Mahroof mentioned, this is all part of a larger, ongoing research effort to detect wildfires at their incipient stage. This type of early detection is vital for successful management and rapid response. The University of Bradford is taking part in the EU-funded 6G-VERSUS research project. This new initiative includes demonstrations of new advanced technology developed to address wildfire-specific issues.
In 2023, the University of Bradford team will be going to Greece. The other, in Charleston, SC, will create a new next-gen robotic dog and aerial drone system for infrastructure inspection. This system provides increased situational awareness to first responders in the midst of a wildfire emergency. It allows them to detect threats faster and allocate resources more effectively.
“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
The research team will use artificial intelligence to gain deep insights from API-compatible, real-time camera feeds. They will harness 6G technology to transmit real-time critical data. This new approach is intended to improve operational efficiency, making it possible for teams to locate at-risk individuals while minimizing the risk of harm to responders.
“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
WYFRS has little experience with this particular technology thus far. They should absolutely get in touch with the University of Bradford team to discuss how they can work together. By integrating advanced technology into firefighting efforts, these communities are taking a smart, proactive approach to battling wildfires. These fires have been an increasingly serious and controversial problem in West Yorkshire.
