xPrize Wildfire – $11M Prize Competition
On one hand this effort sounds like a good way to generate some interesting concepts. On the other hand, as a long-time resident of a rural, wildfire-prone area, it&#x27;s also important to educate the public and politicians that there is a large body of proven land management best practices that can already significantly improve prevention, control and mitigation. While we can always do better, we often aren&#x27;t sufficiently utilizing the tools and techniques we already have.<p>The issues are more often political, economic and systemic than they are not knowing effective ways to further reduce risks and harm. Things like properly managed controlled burns are under-utilized because they are politically controversial. Enacting and enforcing codes mandating land management around private structures are politically unpopular. Out where I live, the local fire rangers just point-blank tell property owners &quot;If you don&#x27;t clear out all the brush and downed trees within a couple hundred feet of your structures, we&#x27;re defending your house <i>after</i> the others that meet code&quot; but no politician is willing to tell voters that. Worse, land owners continue to get permits issued to construct permanent dwellings in isolated locations which are extremely difficult to defend. If they want to build there, I say let them but also issue fair warning if they choose to proceed, they are on their own in the event of fire. Volunteer firefighters shouldn&#x27;t need to risk their lives to defend houses which should never have been built in inaccessible, indefensible locations.