San Diego firefighters using new technology to combat wildfires
San Diego Fire Rescue is the first in the U.S. to use aircraft with radar technology to tell if fires are moving toward homes
By FireRescue1 Staff
SAN DIEGO — San Diego firefighters are using new technology to determine if and when wildfires are moving toward homes.
NBC San Diego reported that firefighters will begin a trial test on aircraft equipped with radar and high-tech sensors that will tell them if fires are moving toward residential areas quickly.
“The San Diego Fire Rescue will be the first in the nation to have cutting edge technology that will revolutionize how we combat wildfires," Mayor Kevin Faulconer said.
The radar technology gives firefighters the ability to draw a perimeter around the fire and change it continuously based on what direction it is moving.
Firefighters also will be able to see how the fire changes once water is dropped onto it, and the technology will help them see through smoke better.
“We’re going to be able to leverage technology so that if we need to do evacuations we can do it so much more efficiently," San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said.
