Firefighters throughout California are collaborating in a four-year competitors to invent new applied sciences to combat fires and put an finish to damaging wildfires.

The competitors XPRIZE Wildfire incentivizes the personal sector to assist develop new methods to detect wildfires earlier than they get too large and trigger injury to ecosystems.

“Fires aren’t getting any smaller,” mentioned Chief Brian Fennessy with the Orange County Fire Authority. “They’re not spreading any slower, and we have to look at the private sector to help fight them.”

According to XPRIZE, excessive wildfire occasions burn at a “higher intensity” and account for 80% of complete related fire-damages, including to the rising world greenhouse gasoline emissions.

“Firefighters can only do so much with the resources that they have,” mentioned San Bernardino County Fire Chief Dan Munsey. “We can spend millions of dollars more on fire engines, helicopters, fire trucks, and we’re only going to make a limited difference.”

More than 200 groups signed up for the XPRIZE Wildfire competitors, and $11 million in prizes will likely be paid out over 4 years.

There are two competitors tracks wherein firefighting groups will compete, one centered on the detection and characterization of the hearth. The different monitor will look to search out response options and suppression supplies.

More info on the competitors is obtainable on the XPRIZE Wildfire web site, together with the complete checklist of California groups collaborating.