Videos

Chief Kim Zagaris speaks with the Wildfire Initiative on the process of utilizing new technology. He encourages working together to cut down the time it takes to develop and utilize technology, as well as working across agencies in order to protect wildland areas and communities.

Chief Frank Frievalt with the Mammoth Lakes Fire Protection District addresses how agencies are learning to knit together emerging technology, and “old school” fundamental interventions. The conditions that are bringing catastrophic wildfires to the West (such as the Camp Fire in Paradise, CA) has been in the making for 4 decades, and aren’t just going to go away without addressing it.

Fire Chief Mark Niemeyer of Meridian, Idaho, speaks of the rapid development of technology. He stresses the need for situational awareness from community to community. Agencies need to come together to find common solutions and use technology to further data sharing.

Chief Kim Zagaris explains how California has yet to recover from severe drought, creating dry fuels and risk for wildfire. He believes we will see fire seasons continue to magnify themselves, creating challenges for citizens and government agencies.