West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is increasing its wildfire response capabilities. They are using cutting-edge technology and equipment to respond to the increasing prevalence of wildfires in the area. The service combines high-tech mapping tools with state of the art weather forecasting applications. These resources enable them to more accurately predict fire behavior and respond more quickly to recent incidents, most notably on Marsden Moor and Ilkley Moor.
In 2018 Spink Moor was one of three large wildfires that affected West Yorkshire that summer. In formal terms, this means that firefighters need new generation, lighter-weight PPE for their longer shifts. This new initiative seeks to protect the safety and efficiency of wildfire responders when facing extreme wildfire conditions.
Dr. Kamran Mahroof of the University of Bradford spoke to these developments at recent Collaborative Practice conference in Birmingham. He emphasized the global nature of the wildfire phenomenon, noting that “wildfires are a global phenomenon and have been increasing in frequency and intensity in recent years.”
Climate change has made West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s job that much harder. They’re using all-terrain vehicles to expand their firefighting capabilities. These ground vehicles are able to transport teams quickly to inaccessible areas impacted by wildfires for an improved and more complete response.
As a part of the EU-funded 6G-VERSUS research project, Dr. Mahroof’s team is scheduled to visit Greece next year. This project aims to explore innovative technology applications in wildfire management. The pilot program will be run by Dr. Konstantinos Katsaros and Dr. Lazaros Karagiannidis. Together, they are representing the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) from Greece.
Dr. Mahroof explained the project’s objective: “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.” The broader research effort behind this work is a project to use artificial intelligence to analyze camera feeds in real time and transmit that data via 6G technology.
“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.” – Dr. Kamran Mahroof
Under the initiative, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is partnering with the University of Bradford. We’re energized by the possibilities and partnerships this collaboration could bring to accelerate development of pioneering wildfire detection technology. Dr. Mahroof expressed pride in being at the forefront of research addressing this critical global challenge, stating, “We are immensely proud to be at the forefront of research addressing this pressing global challenge.”