The Fire Break | Innovations in Wildfire

Dr. Kira Hoffman, a fire ecologist based in British Columbia, explains why we need to shift from fearing fire to understanding its vital role in our ecosystems and communities. Explore the deep history of Indigenous fire stewardship, the dangers of suppressing natural fire cycles, and why "good fire" is essential for food security, biodiversity, and even reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

In this episode, you'll learn abou...

Indicium Dynamics founder Mike Ross joins the show from Tasmania to discuss how his company is pioneering the "Digital Forest" concept, using a massive LoRaWAN network and IoT sensors to monitor everything from eagles' nests to wildfire conditions. Discover how his platform integrates data from satellites, cameras, and ground sensors to help agencies make smarter decisions about prescribed burns and rapid response, an...

With 26 years of service in the BLM, National Park Service, and US Forest Service, veteran fire manager Dave Dukart provides a rare inside look at the cultures, challenges, and evolution of federal firefighting. He discusses everything from using fire line explosives to the bureaucratic hurdles that stop innovation, and explains why the biggest changes must come from the bottom up.

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• A Career Ac...

Visionary Patric Douglas, founder of FireSwarm Solutions, outlines his plan to revolutionize aerial firefighting by adopting a "Fire-as-a-Service" model built on ultra-efficient, gas turbine drones. Drawing on his background as a tech entrepreneur and his experience with devastating B.C. fires, he details the three major bottlenecks facing the industry and advocates for a massive investment in rapid logistics and high-per...

Retired firefighter Keith McMillan shares his raw, powerful journey of leaving a 26-year career due to physical injuries, only to discover his deepest wounds were from PTSI (Post-Traumatic Stress Injury). Now a Wildfire Mitigation Specialist for his own HOA, he details his new mission: protecting his community, educating homeowners with a firefighter's triage perspective, and championing the life-saving importance of "crew...

FYREBX founder Sean Henry tells the incredible story of how getting bored in retirement led him to invent a revolutionary piece of firefighting hardware in his barn. Discover the FYREBX, a multi-tool attachment that turns any compact track loader into a dozer, a 500-gallon water cannon, and a hydro-seeder, and learn how his grassroots strategy of letting firefighters discover its value on their own terms is driving its rapid adopti...

LA County Fire Captain Ed Monroe shares his candid, powerful insight into PTSI (Post-Traumatic Stress Injury), emphasizing why mental health must be treated as a physical injury and why help must be sought proactively. Drawing on 17 years of service, he discusses the critical role of peer support, the shock of a firefighter being shot, and the unique challenges and rewards of leading wildland inmate crews.

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Nova founder and former wildland firefighter Robert Atwood explains how his company is using machine learning to automate the detection of hotspots, turning a complex, multi-hour process into a simple, 10-minute task. Discover how this innovative platform transforms a drone's infrared imagery into a precise "treasure map" for ground crews, integrates seamlessly with the tools firefighters already use, and is changing ...

Sustainability entrepreneur Josh Dorfman, founder of the media platform Supercool, shares his mission to uncover "real-world climate solutions" that cut carbon while boosting profits and improving modern life. Drawing on his experience launching a carbon-negative building materials company with SpaceX engineers, he reveals the secrets to successful climate-tech startups and the "win-win" innovations that are alr...

IBHS Senior Director for Wildfire and 30-year CAL FIRE veteran Steve Hawks explains the hard science behind why homes burn and what you can actually do about it. Go inside the IBHS research lab where they create 135-mph ember storms to test full-size houses, and learn why a "systems-based approach"—not just one or two actions—is the only way to protect your home from a high-intensity wildfire.

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Fire Swarm Solutions founder David Thanh explains how his company is pioneering the use of ultra-heavy-lift drone swarms to attack wildfires, especially during the critical nighttime hours when traditional aircraft are grounded. Inspired by a devastating personal loss in a British Columbia fire, he and his team are developing a new tool for the toolbox that promises more precise, persistent, and safer aerial support for ground crew...

Microsoft's Chris Holloway brings his unique perspective as a former Air Force nuclear weapons specialist to the wildfire crisis, delivering a powerful call for proactive, community-level action. He breaks down why high-tech home suppression systems can fail, why we're too focused on reactive data instead of proactive work, and why the most effective wildfire defense starts with simple, low-tech stewardship of your own prop...

Water quality expert Cydian Kauffman explains what happens to the toxic runoff from wildfires and structure fires and how those contaminants find their way into our drinking water. Learn the crucial difference between the legal and health standards for municipal water, why your body may be the filter for dangerous chemicals, and the best ways to protect yourself from everything from heavy metals to the little-known class of chemica...

Adam specializes in comprehensive all-hazards preparedness, planning, response, mitigation, and risk management. His expertise extends to severe weather and climate change risk, the strategic use of GIS in emergency management, urban search and rescue, and homeland security. He has a strong focus on climate change, black sky consequence management, CBRNE planning, bio and agroterrorism, viral hemorrhagic fevers, maximum containment...

UC Cooperative Extension fire ecologist Barb Satink Wolfson provides a masterclass in the science and culture of "good fire," explaining why we need to empower more people to use it and how community events can build trust and acceptance. Discover the ecological impacts of high-severity re-burns, the critical importance of social science in wildfire preparedness, and why the future of safety lies in entire communities tak...

Deputy Fire Chief Matthew Wilson of Eielson Air Force Base shares his unique perspective from the far north, detailing the lessons learned from recent F-35 and F-16 aircraft mishaps and the challenges of leading a military fire department with a high turnover rate. Discover his leadership philosophy of subordinating ego and listening to your team, why resilience is a quality you build by doing "hard things," and how he...

Veteran emergency manager Todd Hutchings draws on decades of experience from the front lines of CAL FIRE to the consulting world, delivering a powerful message about getting "back to basics" with wildfire preparedness. Discover why he believes true resilience starts at the grassroots level, the importance of low-impact mitigation like goat grazing, and why communities can't afford to wait for FEMA to solve their problems.

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Ergodyne's heat stress expert Lexi Engelbart breaks down the science of staying cool in the most extreme environments, from industrial job sites to the wildland fire line. Learn about the crucial difference between ambient temperature and Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, the hierarchy of controls for heat safety, and the innovative cooling technologies—like phase change vests—that can protect you when the heat is on.

In this episode,...