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Spain announced A national emergency in the Community of Madrid and the Province of Avila due to The spread of severe forest fires. As fires continue to burn out of control, this year looks set to be one of the most devastating forest fires Recorded seasons for the region.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned: “We are facing a tragic situation, not only in the various Spanish provinces, but also in the regions of neighboring countries.” He noted that “all available resources” have been deployed to manage the emergency in the cities of Avila, León, Toledo, Madrid and other parts of the country amid the national emergency.
France was also hit by massive fires, which caused its own weather. In all, the two countries saw fires burn more than 741,000 acres, according to the European Wildfire Information System, and hundreds of thousands of people were forced to evacuate. Forest fires in Spain have burned twice the average annual area, while in France, this year’s fire season was six times more destructive than usual.
Extreme heat helped fuel the fires, and abnormally dry weather helped burn plants. The same phenomenon is being repeated around the world, largely due to climate change. As more megafires rage and grow on the horizon, firefighters are looking for new tools to fight them. This includes efforts in Spain, where the country has developed or tested technological innovations to prevent, detect and contain wildfires.
Ecover
This is a biodegradable liquid consisting of 100 percent different organic materials in a water-based composition. It is up to 40 times more effective than water at extinguishing fires, while working six to 10 times faster. The product can also be applied preventatively to plants to create an insulating layer that blocks heat and oxygen and prevents burning at temperatures of 100°C (212°F) or higher.
Predefire
Once a wildfire breaks out, it becomes difficult to fight. This makes better forecasts vital to ensure resources are not spread too thin. Predefire is Early warning system for forest fires with support from the University of Cordoba and the companies Automatismos ITEA and Somnum Technologies. This technology combines artificial intelligence, sensors and autonomous drones to identify fire outbreaks when they are only a few acres in size. Its goal is to reduce response time and facilitate early intervention.
Without fire
Other monitoring systems are also under development. These companies include SenForFire, a European project involving the Spanish National Research Council, the University of Extremadura, and several Spanish companies. Its goal is to promote prevention and early detection through wireless networks of low-cost smart sensors. These devices detect and measure, in real time, combustion-related gases, environmental variables and weather conditions to identify signs that predict the initiation or progression of a fire.
Forest fire assessment form
This AI model, developed by Spanish researchers with funding from the Ministry of Science and Innovation, uses neural networks to analyze atmospheric variables and an indicator of how green plants are based on satellite images. Using this information, it estimates how far the fire might spread, how long it will take to control it, and how much ground, human and air resources are needed to respond to the emergency in high-risk areas.
Tools for the public
Alongside firefighting efforts, there are also tools – including many now available – that can help the Spanish public stay safe. The government has The official application of civil protection To access emergency information, warning maps and emergency services.
Google Maps features a layer capable of triggering emergency alerts and displaying the surroundings of forest fires in Spain. There too spain fires, A real-time mapping platform that shows the locations of active wildfires across the country using satellite data.
This article originally appeared on WIRED in Spanish It was translated from Spanish.
