We are excited to share that BreezoMeter now offers the ability to track previously burnt wildfire areas in addition to active wildfire tracking. As the rate of global wildfires is on the rise, Burnt Area visuals are key to accelerating our knowledge about wildfires and the ability to combat this ever-growing global threat.
About BreezoMeter’s Burnt Area Feature
Used as part of our wider Wildfire Tracker+ solution, our burnt area feature enables the visualization and comparison of areas where a fire is currently burning with recently burnt regions. Our data quickly identifies the exact perimeter of wildfires and is updated on an hourly basis so that insurance companies, trail planners, and rescue workers have access to the most recent up to date information possible.
Data is provided via an API which enables clear visualization and includes key information such as the total burned area (acres/square km), the extinguished timestamp, the burned area polygon, the burned area location (lat, long), and other relevant details on burned areas. By visualizing the burned area on a map, we learn about the extent of a fire and can use topographic information to prevent incidents from turning into multiple disaster scenes.
Learn more about BreezoMeter’s Wildfire Tracker+
Why is Burnt Area Tracking Important?
While extinguishing fires and managing response to an active fire is usually the primary concern for individuals and organizations, there is a lot to learn about already burnt areas and the longer effects of burning on the environment.
Burnt Area data can be compared with other data sources such as vegetation, how widespread the burn or damage was, analysis of the rate of fire spread, the fire path, and time needed for recovery in order to gain additional insights for how future wildfires should be handled – as a wildfire moves, and over the long term.
Business Use Cases for the Burnt Area Feature
Detailed reports on previously burnt areas provide information that can be used for a variety of purposes:
- First responders and planners can use burnt area tracking to help inform where to prioritize support for the public after a wildfire has become inactive.
- Asset managers and property operators can use this basic information to understand fire behavior, helping to analyze expected downtime, required recovery processes, and damage caused by future fires.
- Mapping, leisure and mobility companies can use Burnt Area tracking to show users how an area has been damaged recently, and suggest a different routing based on a burned landscape’s terrain, or to change a trip etc.
- As the threat of ongoing wildfires and heatwaves becomes increasingly real for the future, burnt area information could also be used for general climate disaster management and prevention – as burned areas may suffer from landslides, flooding etc. that put people further at risk.
- Burnt area tracking can also be used to help inform Route diversions and closures. The evacuation of 45 homes in the vicinity of the community of Anderson, Alaska, was recently ordered. In this case, information about the burned area can help those affected gain insight into the need and urgency to evacuate, which direction to evacuate, and how to combine historical and current data to analyze regional damage and assess risk based on the burned area.
- Alongside factors such as weather conditions, precipitation, wind factor, humidity, and other environmental data, future risk can be calculated and the true value of insurance and reinsurance claims can be accurately assessed: By aggregating fire area statistics and current weather conditions, insurers can add additional data layers to update their risk models for fire-prone areas and provide more information for decision-making.
Start Using BreezoMeter’s Burnt Area Tracking
Our Burnt area tracking is already live on our air quality map for those looking to see it in action. For those interested in trying out the feature for their organization, learn more about our Wildfire Tracker+ and get in touch.
You can also test out the feature directly via our BreezoMeter API trial (documentation here).
