Drones used to predict, detect and fight fires in countryside

Coillte, Ireland’s semi-state commercial forestry company and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, who are responsible for state-owned National Parks and Nature Reserves, are partnering to combat the spread of forest and wild fires using innovative drone technology.

This will be the second year the technology will be used to monitor designated ‘ hot spots’..

Utilising this state-of-the-art technology allows the drones to become firefighters’ eyes in the skies, helping to protect the environment and save lives.

Josepha Madigan, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, TD, said: “As well as having severe localised impact on flora and fauna, setting fires during this time of a national public health emergency is particularly reckless as it places unnecessary additional pressures on our emergency services whose services are critical to managing the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, I am delighted that Coillte is joining us in this initiative to help combat the spread of forest and hill fires during this highrisk period.

“Wild fires are not a natural phenomenon in Ireland; the main challenge is to encourage members of the public, including landowners, farmers and recreational users of publicly accessible land, to act responsibly at all times, to be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, to be mindful of the need to protect property, both publicly owned and privately owned, and to appreciate the value of our natural heritage.”

Wesley Atkinson, Regional Manager with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, said:

“We are delighted that Coillte are joining us in this initiative in combatting wild fires during this high-risk period. When these fires happen, there can be huge environmental damage to protected habitats and wildlife. The drones will help us to establish fire outbreaks and keep wild fires from spreading.”

Deborah Meghen, Director of Stewardship, Risk and Advocacy at Coillte, said: “Last year we used this technology for forest fire protection, which resulted in a significant reduction in forest fires with just over 50 reported, down from 150 in 2018. This represents a very good year in terms of forest damage with only 25 hectares affected, compared with over 600 hectares damaged in 2018.”

The drones are equipped with cameras that peer through smoke, as well as sensors for wind direction and other weather variables that affect how fires spread. They can capture continuous footage of areas deemed as high risk and spot small fires that otherwise could not have been detected until they had become much larger and harder to contain.

Ms Meghan added: “It is important to note however that damage from forest fires and wildfires would be far more significant every year were it not for the efforts of Coillte and NPWS staff along with local fire services and the Irish Air Corps.

“Coillte manages the state’s investment in timber and these are the trees that build homes and businesses so their loss is also a significant economic impact.”