State-of-the-art early warning wildfire detection demonstration

FALLBROOK — The Fallbrook Fire Safe Council is pleased to announce that the greater Fallbrook area is the site chosen to demonstrate how advanced sensor technology can be used to prepare and alert communities about the hazard of wildfires.

Through a grant from the US Department of Commerce’s Technology Opportunity Program, state-of-the art fire sensors will be installed on an existing wireless sensor network at San Diego State University’s Santa Margarita Ecological reserve. These sensors will serve as sentinels for both early detection of wildfire, and for pinpointing the specific location of a fire.

In addition to the fire sensors, weather stations and remote cameras will be installed to further monitor fire conditions in the interface area. A real-time website will provide emergency personnel and the general public with access to the sensor network’s data. The results of the demonstration project will be made available to communities in other wildland areas throughout the U.S.

The three-year grant also provides for the employment of a community educator in years two and three to help build public awareness and fire prevention and preparedness skills for the citizens of Fallbrook.

The various partners for the grant are SDSU’s Field Station Programs and Visualization Center, Fallbrook Fire Safe Council, North County Fire Protection District, CDF, Mission Resource Conservation District, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and Ambient Control Systems. A press conference will be held on February 10, 2005, at 11 a.m., 518 Hilbert Dr., Fallbrook, the third anniversary of the Fallbrook ‘Gavilan’ fire to announce the grant and to kick-off Fallbrook Fire Safe Council’s 2005 “thermometer” fund raising drive to raise money for vegetation abatement to create a vital community fire buffer and to install and maintain mechanical sirens to create an audible emergency warning program for the community.

The Fire Safe Council will be placing spare coin boxes in local stores as well as hosting fund raising events such as a fashion show, golf tournament, and silent auction to raise the approximately $300,000 necessary for the 2005 projects. The Council will also be seeking grants to help defray some of the costs for the vegetation abatement and siren projects.

The Fallbrook Fire Safe Council is a non-profit organization. Tax deductible donations may be made to the Fallbrook Fire Safe Council, PO Box 763, Fallbrook, CA 92088. Additionally, new volunteers are always needed by the Fallbrook Fire Safe Council to help accomplish the Council’s goal to help make Fallbrook fire safe. Any one interested in volunteering may call (760) 451-9848.