California Construction News staff writer
California has unveiled advanced dashboards designed to map and monitor the state’s wildfire resilience initiatives. These first-of-their-kind tools aim to provide residents and officials with real-time data on wildfire mitigation projects across the state.
About 700,000 acres of land were treated for wildfire resilience in 2023, with the use of prescribed fire more than doubling since 2021. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance community safety and improve forest health, emphasizing the interconnected nature of wildfire prevention efforts.
“Everything we do to protect California from wildfires is connected,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “Nowhere else has as many tools to show the full picture while improving land management and supporting firefighters. We’re embracing technology and best practices that will help us fight wildfires, and making sure Californians see the tireless work in their communities.”
The updated Interagency Treatment Dashboard, created by the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, includes comprehensive data from 2021 to 2023 from federal, state, tribal, local, and private entities, creating a centralized hub for wildfire prevention activities.
Also, CAL FIRE (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection) has launched the Fuel Treatment Effectiveness Dashboard, which assesses the impact of wildfire prevention projects on community safety and landscapes. Utilizing real-time data, this tool evaluates how fuel treatments influence fire behavior, evacuation routes, and firefighting efforts during active incidents.
The report highlights that more than 1 million “activity acres” were engaged through various wildfire resilience projects in 2023, with nearly 700,000 acres actively treated. Many of these areas underwent multiple treatments, including thinning and prescribed burns, enhancing forest health and community resilience. The increase in treatment acreage is largely attributed to the expansion of prescribed fire practices, reflecting a concerted effort by the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force to implement the state’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.
In a push for modernized wildfire management, CAL FIRE has increased its use of drone technology for tasks such as aerial ignition during prescribed burns and real-time assessments of wildfire containment.
The state is also using artificial intelligence to improve fire detection and response times. Collaborating with the U.S. Department of Defense, California is utilizing advanced satellite technology for wildfire detection and investing in LiDAR technology to create detailed 3D maps of high-risk areas, further aiding firefighting efforts.
