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"Americans have transformed public risk systems before—in national security, earthquake preparedness, hurricane forecasting, and aviation safety—through coordination and smart investment. Wildfire should be next."
Read more: bit.ly/4st0X5d
Read more: bit.ly/4st0X5d
Tech Can Avert Catastrophic Fires. What’s Missing Is Coordination
Embracing new technologies could help prevent routine fires from turning into catastrophes. But the United States lacks a coherent system for advancing and scaling these promising innovations.
bit.ly
January 7, 2026 at 5:15 PM
"Americans have transformed public risk systems before—in national security, earthquake preparedness, hurricane forecasting, and aviation safety—through coordination and smart investment. Wildfire should be next."
Read more: bit.ly/4st0X5d
Read more: bit.ly/4st0X5d
This week's anniversary is a reminder of what's at stake: homes burned, schools closed, communities displaced, public services strained, infrastructure damaged, air quality worsened.
It doesn’t have to be that way, Roberts says.
It doesn’t have to be that way, Roberts says.
January 7, 2026 at 5:15 PM
This week's anniversary is a reminder of what's at stake: homes burned, schools closed, communities displaced, public services strained, infrastructure damaged, air quality worsened.
It doesn’t have to be that way, Roberts says.
It doesn’t have to be that way, Roberts says.
Creating an innovation-acceleration agency—similar to DARPA or ARPA-E—could help, says Roberts.
"Wildfire needs its own version of a federal coordination entity dedicated to connecting innovators, funders, researchers, fire agencies, utilities, and communities."
"Wildfire needs its own version of a federal coordination entity dedicated to connecting innovators, funders, researchers, fire agencies, utilities, and communities."
January 7, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Creating an innovation-acceleration agency—similar to DARPA or ARPA-E—could help, says Roberts.
"Wildfire needs its own version of a federal coordination entity dedicated to connecting innovators, funders, researchers, fire agencies, utilities, and communities."
"Wildfire needs its own version of a federal coordination entity dedicated to connecting innovators, funders, researchers, fire agencies, utilities, and communities."
That's the topic of a new RAND report by Roberts and colleagues: bit.ly/49s8Wa6
The study examines when and how innovation stalls out and recommends ways to strengthen the pipeline for wildfire technology innovation.
The study examines when and how innovation stalls out and recommends ways to strengthen the pipeline for wildfire technology innovation.
Using Technology to Improve Wildfire Management
Promising new technologies could help prevent and fight catastrophic wildfires. What obstacles prevent these innovations from being widely deployed?
bit.ly
January 7, 2026 at 5:15 PM
That's the topic of a new RAND report by Roberts and colleagues: bit.ly/49s8Wa6
The study examines when and how innovation stalls out and recommends ways to strengthen the pipeline for wildfire technology innovation.
The study examines when and how innovation stalls out and recommends ways to strengthen the pipeline for wildfire technology innovation.
Promising technologies that could be used to combat wildfires already exist. These include satellites and sensors, AI models that can project fire spread, drones, and even new building materials.
So why aren’t these innovations widely deployed?
So why aren’t these innovations widely deployed?
January 7, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Promising technologies that could be used to combat wildfires already exist. These include satellites and sensors, AI models that can project fire spread, drones, and even new building materials.
So why aren’t these innovations widely deployed?
So why aren’t these innovations widely deployed?