Wildfires are becoming more frequent as we experience higher temperatures and prolonged seasons of drought. It is almost tradition now to see scenes of uncontrollable wildfires raging around the world every summer. Firefighters say that time is of the essence when it comes to putting out fires; the earlier they are detected, the easier it is to get them under control. However, wildfires are usually detected late and coincidentally by a passerby who smells smoke or sees plumes of smoke or fire reports it to the local authorities. What is needed is a more professional, efficient, and speedy method of wildfire detection.
This is where “electronic noses” come into play. These are devices that can “smell” the air and detect certain gases that are present when there is a fire, such as hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and send out signals through wireless networks to alert the authorities. Electronic noses can also provide the exact locations of the fire, which makes it much easier for firefighters to get to the site and get to work quickly.
One company that is making electronic noses to help with wildfire detection is called “Dryad Networks”; it is looking to provide 120 million electronic noses that act as sensors around the world by 2030. The company estimates that this could “save 3.9 million hectares of forests from burning”, which will then prevent “1.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide [from] entering the atmosphere”.
This electronic nose sensor is designed to detect forest fires very quickly, within minutes, while the fire is still in its smoldering phase; it is also trained to avoid false alarms. Electronic noses are designed to pick up on any changes in the forest’s conditions; some of the factors it monitors are: humidity, air quality, temperature, and the presence of certain gases. If the sensor registers any deviations, the system springs to life, sending alerts, as well as the data it registered, to the authorities.
Early detection technologies can help countries avoid mega wildfires and their subsequent negative outcomes, such as pollution, life losses, respiratory illnesses, loss of habitat and wildlife, as well as property damage. Applying such technologies on the global scale would be a great feat if accomplished, because prevention of harm is much better than looking for solutions after the harm has already taken place.
References
telegraph.co.uk
dryad.net
edition.cnn.com
Read more on SCIplanet
“Wildfires”, by Seham Elsherif.