In the wake of the deadly Maui wildfires, the University of Hawaiʻi is working for the State of Hawaii to develop a new wildfire forecasting system using artificial intelligence to improve public safety, preparedness and risk reduction. can be done
The project is supported by a $1-million grant from the Hawaii State Legislature.
This early detection system will allow authorities to issue timely warnings to enhance the preparedness of first responders and enable the wider community to take proactive measures, such as evacuation planning and reducing home vulnerability. to do By providing timely information, these forecasts can help reduce the overall impact of wildfires through faster response and suppression efforts.
Updating the old forecasting system
The multidisciplinary research team will work together to improve the state's current forecasting system, which currently uses data from a single station at the Honolulu airport. Researchers say AI and machine learning can be used to predict wildfire probability more accurately than traditional methods, especially in Hawaii's diverse microclimate (a small, specific area). indoor climate conditions that may differ from the surrounding area due to factors such as terrain, vegetation or urbanization). Hawaii has 10 of the world's 14 climate zones, based on the Kopen climate classification.
“By better predicting the potential locations and severity of wildfires, forecasting systems can help emergency responders allocate resources more efficiently,” said Syed Bettani, the project's principal investigator and UH Professor at the Manoa Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering and Water Resources Research Center said. (WRRC). “This includes the strategic positioning of firefighting teams, equipment and helicopters based on predicted fire behavior. A faster response can lead to better control of fires, their spread and consequences. can reduce the damage done.”
In collaboration with the National Weather Service, the Department of Land and Natural Resources-Division of Forestry and Wildlife, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and county fire departments, the project will integrate wildfire danger forecasts into red flag warnings. In order to improve the overall preparation. and the response capabilities of these agencies.
This work will be led by Battini. College of Engineering Dean Brennan Morioka (co-principal investigator); Clay Trauernicht (co-principal investigator), ecosystem fire extension specialist at the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management; and WRRC Director Tom Gimbeluca (Co-Principal Investigator).