To Deal with Forest Fires
How can we prevent forest fires? American Indians had a sophisticated understanding of fire management and used controlled burning for many thousands of years. In the early 20th century, the U.S. Forest Service tried to suppress all fires, but with increasing knowledge, it recognized that controlled burns were more helpful because they destroyed elements of forests that could serve as fuel for forest fires. They are now trying to emulate the methods that have been used by the Indians.
Some Recent Good Ideas
- Satellites can detect and monitor fires.
- AI can analyze data about the weather, topography, and drought conditions to forecast fires.
- Drones with cameras can spot fires and drop incendiary devices to create firebreaks.
- Fire resistant clothing and building materials have been developed.
The Newest Good Idea: the BurnBot
What is a BurnBot? It is a newly developed machine about the size of a Zamboni, pulled by a tractor. It can burn a path, creating a firebreak; it has been called an upside-down propane grill. It has a dozen jets that blast flames at the ground, dampers that pound the ground after it has been torched, and jets of water that further douse the burn. It creates a five-foot wide strip of charred ground. It can be run remotely; firefighters can be spared exhausting physical labor, and they can operate BurnBots from the comfort of remote locations. You can learn more about BurnBots here: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/02/burnbot-raises-20-million-to-build-technology-for-wildfire-prevention.html
The Creative Act
A creative act is one in which two unrelated thoughts come together to form a new idea. In this instance, several unrelated thoughts came together:
- the thought of using controlled burns to eliminate biomass that could fuel fires
- the thought of firefighters toiling away with shovels to create a firebreak
- the thought of fighting fire with water
- the thought of using machines to fight fire (airplanes dumping water on fires)
- the thought of using a remote control (as they were already doing with drones)
These thoughts all came together, and the BurnBot was created. It's wonderful that there is so much creativity amongst us. Perhaps we can come up with enough good ideas so that we can deal with global warming.
The Inner Guide
You have undoubtedly had such creative moments yourself. But an Inner Guide can cause them to occur on a regular basis, when needed. If you don't yet have an Inner Guide, you can acquire one here: https://emotionalcomfort.com/blog/post/you-can-acquire-an-inner-guide-part-4
