Wildfires have long been a major cause of concern for people across the world. They have received even more attention over the past few years due to the increasing and more extreme effects of climate change. In many places, such as California and Australia, a historic and unprecedented number of wildfires have uncontrollably devastated vast regions of land recently. Wildfires are dangerous natural disasters that commonly occur in areas with extremely dry conditions and high winds. They are often caused by human activity or natural events such as lightning strikes. The smoke and ash from fires contain particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and various volatile organic compounds, which can significantly reduce air quality in nearby areas. Smoke exposure causes pulmonary inflammation, bronchitis, exacerbations of asthma, and heart failure. Wildfires also release copious amounts of mercury into the atmosphere, “which can lead to impairment of speech, hearing and walking, muscle weakness and vision problems for people of all ages”. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, climate change is amplifying drought frequency and severity, which leads to an increase in wildfires that can become more destructive. The destruction of homes, businesses, and properties is detrimental to the economy because of the expenses for health-related issues and rebuilding of property. These health impacts and loss of property, along with the direct burns and injuries caused by wildfires, present a considerable threat to the quality of life of millions or even billions of people.

​

Team Supa’ Hot is aiming to develop an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to collect data about embers emitted from wildland fires. The UAV will carry instruments to characterize ember size, count, and flight path. These measurements will help researchers working on wildfire modeling systems to have a better understanding of the key role that embers play in spreading wildfires. With minimal existing data on the mechanisms behind wildfire spread, the data obtained from this prototype will contribute to the understanding of wildfires, as well as development of plans and procedures for containment.

​

The use of drones to help fight wildfires will significantly aid firefighters in their efforts to prevent the fires from spreading and causing such tremendous damage. The process of sending drones to analyze the intensity and patterns of wildfires decreases the risk of injury for firefighters. The drones provide valuable information that can be used by firefighting teams to make smarter decisions when fighting fires. Furthermore, drone technology can provide support for search and rescue operations and mapping of inaccessible locations. Therefore, the development of drone technology will allow firefighters to combat the spread of a wildfire using the critical information that is gathered, in turn also protecting them from unexpected shifts in a wildfire’s behavior. Ultimately, this will mitigate the negative health impacts and property loss caused by the wildfires, which will support a more sustainable environment for people and natural environments worldwide.