The Fire Break | Innovations in Wildfire

Professor of Fire Science Guillermo Rein of Imperial College London unveils the shocking discovery of "fire waves"—a new phenomenon where urban green spaces can erupt in hundreds of wildfires. He explains the science behind the 2022 London fire wave, how a metric called Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) can predict this risk, and why other traditionally "wet" cities like Seattle and New York could be next.

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Video game developer Eamonn Glass, formerly of Electronic Arts (EA), introduces FIRE, a new cooperative video game where players battle apocalyptic wildfires with futuristic technology. Inspired by the tragic Lytton, B.C. fire, Eamonn's studio, Maggie's Farm, is creating a "combined arms" experience where you "win by saving," aiming to build a more fire-literate generation through engaging and entertaini...

First Street's Director of Wildfire Modeling, Phil Cunningham, explains the complex science behind creating property-level wildfire risk scores for the entire country. A meteorologist by training, he details his journey from studying the physics of fire whirls with supercomputers to running millions of statistical fire simulations to help homeowners, insurers, and lenders understand their true risk, both today and 30 years in the f...

Third-generation volunteer firefighter Krystal Caissie shares her passion for Camp Molly, a groundbreaking program in Canada that empowers and trains teenage girls for a future in the fire service. Discover how this hands-on camp is building confidence, breaking down barriers for women in a male-dominated field, and inspiring the next generation of first responders.

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• What is Camp Molly? An insi...

Leading fire meteorologist Theodore Giannaros explains the terrifying new reality of extreme wildfires that couple with the atmosphere to create their own weather, defying traditional prediction models. Discover the "missing piece" in our understanding—3D meteorology—and learn why fires are no longer going to sleep at night, how remote sensing tools like radar and lidar are essential for research, and why scientists and firefighter...

Inventor Wayne Darnell shares the incredible origin story of his wildfire suppression technology—an idea sparked by blowing out a single match that led him to mount a massive airboat fan on a vehicle to control fire with pure wind. Discover the science behind how high-velocity airflow can cool, disrupt, and suppress a flame front without a single drop of water, and learn about his journey from Los Alamos National Lab to self-fundin...

Returning guest Annie Leverich of The Fire Networks shares insights from her recent prescribed fire training in Nebraska, diving deep into the cultural shifts happening within the fire community. Explore the concept of the "recovering suppressionist," the challenge of overcoming status quo bias, and why effective communication and storytelling are the most critical tools for bringing "good fire" back to the land...

Amy Berry of the Tahoe Fund and Jesse Murray of NV Energy detail their groundbreaking public-private partnership that is creating a new model for community-wide wildfire resilience in Lake Tahoe. Discover how their "Smartest Forest Fund" is deploying innovative technology like the BurnBot remote masticator, using advanced conflagration modeling, and bringing insurance companies to the table to solve the WUI crisis at a neighborhood...

Climate Resolve founder Jonathan Parfrey explains how his organization is pioneering simple, physics-based solutions to extreme heat and wildfire risk, like "cool roofs" and "cool pavements" that are already changing the landscape of Los Angeles. Discover the counterintuitive economic findings from their in-depth study of the Woolsey Fire, and learn about future-forward ideas like "mood ring roofs" and...

Fire Marshal Brittany Brown explains her philosophy of being a "salesman of life safety" and the art of tailoring community risk reduction (CRR) to the unique needs of a community. Drawing on her experience moving from the high-risk wildland environment of Colorado to the suburbs of Kansas City, she breaks down why data, trust, and understanding culture are the most powerful tools in a fire prevention officer's arsena...

Stanford's Associate Director of Resilience, Cody Hill, details how the university is transforming its 8,200-acre campus into a "living laboratory" for wildfire resilience. Discover their multi-layered approach, from installing a network of 50 advanced carbon-sniffing sensors and AI-powered cameras to pioneering partnerships with local fire agencies and reintroducing "good fire" to the landscape.

In this epis...

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Alli Connect founder and CEO Colleen Hilton explains how her company is using AI and a vetted network of culturally competent therapists to respond to the first responder mental health crisis. Learn why traditional methods can fail to connect firefighters and police with the right care, and how this new technology-driven approach provides confidential, effective support to keep our heroes healthy and whol...

Emergency management instructor and veteran firefighter Arthur J. Simental unveils his new board game, Emergency Operations Center: Wildfire Mayhem—a training tool designed to be more immersive and realistic than a traditional tabletop exercise. Inspired by military war games, this ESF-based game challenges players to manage resources, a dynamic, growing fire, and unexpected "chaos" events, providing a powerful new way fo...

Former 20-year Congressman Curt Weldon, founder of the Congressional Fire Caucus and the FIRE Grant program, delivers a fiery call to action for the American fire service to reclaim its power and demand change at the highest levels. He reveals the shocking inside stories of battling bureaucracy to get firefighters the technology and resources they deserve—from the fight for interoperable communications to his new demand for the fir...

Retired Battalion Chief Mark Whaling, a 42-year veteran of the fire service, shares the story behind his groundbreaking invention, the Heli-Hydrant—a permanent, pilot-activated water source for firefighting helicopters. Discover how a simple observation led to a system that ends the inefficient and time-consuming process of dipping from ponds or portable tanks, and learn the gritty lessons of innovating within a culture resistant t...

UL's Baylie Scott from the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) unveils NERIS, the new national fire data system set to replace the 50-year-old NFIRS. Discover how this modern, location-based platform will revolutionize the way fire departments report and use data—from tracking emerging hazards like EV fires to empowering chiefs with the evidence they need to justify resources and save lives.

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Patrick Wright, Director of California's Wildfire and Resilience Task Force, explains the monumental one-million-acre-per-year mission to make the state's forests and communities more resilient to megafires. Discover the dual strategies for Northern and Southern California, the critical role of prescribed "good fire," and how the task force is breaking down decades-old silos between federal, state, and local agenc...

HazAdapt founder and CEO Ginny Katz, MPH, introduces a new type of safety app designed to combat alert fatigue and provide "just-in-time" guidance that works offline during a crisis. Discover the importance of personal resilience, the power of a prepared mindset, and the innovative ways technology can help communities measure their readiness and individuals take control of their own safety.

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• Th...

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Retired FDNY Chief Frank Leeb, now with the First Responder Center for Excellence, breaks down the "firefighter blindside"—the hidden health risks like cancer, heart disease, and PTSD that are the biggest threats to the fire service today. Discover the leadership principles, training philosophies, and practical steps needed to build more resilient firefighters and create a cult...