First published July 23, 2024 by the Vancouver Sun
Opinion: In the Okanagan, Predator Ridge is using new sensor technology from Vancouver-based SenseNet to detect early signs of fire
Written by Sarah Goodman, President and CEO, B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE)
With wildfires now surging — from B.C. to Labrador — it’s hard not to reflect on last summer’s devastating fires. These fires took lives and displaced thousands as an estimated 18.5 million hectares of land burned. Last June, New Yorkers choked on thick, polluted air and smoke reached as far as Europe, leading some to quip that Canada’s largest export was wildfire smoke.
While feeling powerless in the face of massive wildfires is natural, there’s another perspective to consider: the opportunity to create, deploy and export wildfire technology solutions.
In B.C., we have excellent examples to draw from, stemming from the invention of water-bombing Bambi Buckets patented by Delta-based SEI Industries in 1984. Canadian trailblazers have left an indelible mark on how wildfires are controlled and extinguished around the world, including Bombardier’s Super Scooper aircraft.
Today’s wildfires, however, are fiercer and more frequent, and unassuming zombie fires that stay burning — yet dormant — all winter are all posing unprecedented threats to people, communities, and nature. These wildfires are also a massive source of pollution. In 2023 alone, Canadian wildfires emitted nearly three times the carbon emissions of the entire Canadian economy.
This new era of wildfires can only be met with a new era of innovation.
Now is the time to harness our innovative capacity. That means combining traditional Indigenous knowledge with other wildfire and land management expertise, while also leveraging B.C.’s leadership in technology development. This integrated approach will benefit not only our province, but Canada, and position us as leaders in the global wildfire management sector, projected to be worth more than $20 billion over the next four years.
Canada’s public sector leads in adopting wildfire technology to protect first responders and communities. The federal government’s WildFire Sat mission aims to monitor all active wildfires across the country from space by 2029. At home, the B.C. Wildfire Service is phasing in new technology that provides real-time wildfire behaviour predictions, delivering vital intelligence to field staff and decision-makers, enabling rapid, informed responses that can save lives and property. Last August, this new software produced a predicted 12-hour fire spread in just 15 minutes, a task that previously took hours, enabling quicker and more effective resource deployment.
Our post-secondary institutions are at the forefront of wildfire science research and innovation in areas such as wildfire behaviour modelling, adaptation, and forestry management. UBC researchers, in collaboration with Rogers Communications, are using forest sensors to feed data on moisture levels into an AI system designed to predict fire risk. The Okanagan community of Predator Ridge is among the first adopters of new sensor technology from UBC spinout SenseNet, using gas sensing and thermal imaging to detect early signs of fire. This year, the B.C. government announced a new Wildfire Training and Education Centre, in partnership with the Thompson Rivers University Institute for Wildfire Science, Adaptation and Resiliency, a first-of-a-kind program to transition wildfire training into degree programs and part of a world-class Wildfire Learning, Research and Innovation District at TRU.
Of course, progress isn’t solely about new technology. It’s also about embracing Indigenous-led fire stewardship and practices, like prescribed and cultural burns, that help restore nature and prevent dangerous wildfires.
Just as Canada faces some of the most severe wildfires, the Netherlands has struggled with flooding for centuries. The Dutch turned that adversity into global expertise in water management and coastal defence. Today, Dutch companies export $12 billion worth of knowledge and technology annually to other flood-prone regions, a figure likely to climb as climate change intensifies flooding.
Canada can be a leader in wildfire technology. Vancouver-based Metraspectral, a semifinalist in the global XPRIZE Wildfire Space-Based Detection and Intelligence competition, exemplifies Canadian innovation. They aim to use AI and satellites to detect wildfires in high-risk areas in under a minute. And just this week, Squamish-based company FireSwarm Solution was one of 29 companies globally to qualify for the XPRIZE Autonomous Wildfire track. FireSwarm delivers autonomous, heavy-lift drone swarms for rapid, precise wildfire suppression. What other companies are on the precipice of emerging with a potential solution to one of our gravest environmental threats?
Now is the time for corporations and innovators to leverage our wildfire expertise and leadership. Now is the time to accelerate technologies and preventive strategies to stop destructive wildfires in their tracks.
In B.C., we are uniquely positioned to lead in finding solutions to help our front line heroes prevent, detect, mitigate, and recover from wildfires. By leveraging our hard-earned wildfire management insights, we can develop and deliver the 21st century wildfire solutions the world needs.
Sarah Goodman is the president and CEO of the B.C. Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE), an independent not-for-profit corporation that provides early-stage investment to fast-track the commercialization of B.C.’s most impactful clean energy and climate tech solutions. CICE has launched Canada’s first call for innovation focused on wildfire technologies and is accepting applications for B.C.-based projects until Aug. 7. Apply now