California Fire Whisperers
Facing down region's wildfires by divining where the flames will spread
The old-school experts are not exactly impressed. But ESRI’s Russ Johnson wants to push the envelope even further, and wants to stop fires even earlier. Johnson, a former U.S. Forest Service firefighter, says fire departments focus too much on response times — and not enough on prevention. More advanced mapping technology could be used to much better pinpoint areas in need of brush clearance and neighborhoods with high numbers of wood shingles or other problems, so you “know where your problem areas are.”
“Most large cities already have software in place and oftentimes fire departments haven’t taken advantage of it,” says Johnson. “People don’t understand how powerful the technology can be .?.?. [With this technology] we can make better decisions, save more property and save more lives .?.?. It allows you and others to see it all the same way.”
For now, Robinson, the high-tech wiz, and Marrone, the old-school vet, will agree to disagree. But during the next big wildfires, Southern California’s handful of elite fire whisperers will still be after the same thing: saving lives and homes.
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