B.C. Invests $1 Million in 'Lightning Reduction' Technology in Bid to Reduce Fires
The field trial will test whether Skyward’s system can meet wildfire-prevention standards as lightning caused 70% of B.C. ignitions in 2024.
- On Thursday, the British Columbia government announced an investment of up to $1 million in Vancouver-based Skyward Wildfire Technologies to fund field tests of AI-powered lightning-suppression technology.
- Lightning caused 70% of wildfire ignitions in 2024 and was to blame for 97% of all area burned in the province, driving the government to pursue innovative prevention solutions.
- Skyward uses artificial intelligence to predict "areas of elevated lightning-caused wildfire risk," then releases "lighting reduction material" to enable electrical charges to "redistribute quietly inside the cloud."
- Based in Kamloops, aircraft will begin testing in July, with Kamloops Fire Rescue Chief Ken Uzeloc supporting the technology to "aid in early detection" of emerging incidents.
- The BC Wildfire Service will assess whether the technology meets operational standards for potential application across Canada, though Skyward notes "the science isn't new: lightning suppression research goes back to the 1960s.
38 Articles
38 Articles
B.C. invests $1 million in 'lightning reduction' technology in bid to reduce fires
The British Columbia government is investing up to $1 million on field-testing new technology from a Vancouver company that aims to both predict and prevent lightning that may trigger wildfires.
The Toronto Star
B.C. invests $1 million in ‘lightning reduction’ technology in bid to reduce fires
VANCOUVER - The British Columbia government is investing up to $1 million on field-testing new technology from a Vancouver company that aims to both predict and prevent lightning that may
Skyward Granted $1M to Field Test Wildfire Detection Technology in B.C.
As summer season approaches, a Vancouver-based startup is preparing to conduct a field trial to assess whether its technology can reduce the frequency of wildfires ignited by lightning. Through the Province’s Integrated Marketplace program, delivered by Innovate BC, Skyward Wildfire Technologies is receiving up to $1 million to test the effectiveness of its lightning-caused wildfire prediction platform. While humans cause more fires than most pe…
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