Australia will experience a hotter than average summer and an increased risk of fire across large parts of Australia. As Manager at the NSW Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer, Scott Colefax, writes in this month's Thought Piece, there is immense potential for sensing technologies in bushfire management which can help detect fires early, allowing resources to be deployed with precision and efficiency before they escalate.

Bushfires and natural hazards are leaving increasingly severe and lasting impacts on communities, ecosystems, and economies in NSW, Australia, and across the globe. As climate change accelerates the frequency and intensity of these events, the tools and technologies used by emergency services to manage and respond have struggled to keep pace.

Reflecting on my early days as a firefighter 30 years ago, it was a time before mobile phones, the internet, or mass communication. Weather measurements were often manual and relied on simple tools like the sling psychrometer (Image 1) to measure humidity. Today, a compact device (Image 2) can provide accurate weather readings, including humidity, temperature, and wind speed, and even transmit data online for seamless storage and analysis. Yet, despite these advancements, I recently discovered that many US firefighters still rely on sling psychrometers—a reminder of how slow technological adoption can be in the fire and emergency industry.

A firefighter using a thermal drone to support night hazard reduction burning operations. Credit: OSCE

At its core, firefighting remains fundamentally about putting water on fires—a principle that hasn’t changed in over a century. This could explain the reluctance of seasoned firefighters to use more advanced equipment and methods often using tried and tested technologies that have served them well for decades.

The challenge is clear: while the world around us evolves rapidly, emergency services must push through the comfort of existing tools to embrace innovations that can save lives, protect property, and better prepare us for the increasing demands of a changing climate.

Sensing Technology in Bushfire Management

Image 1: Simple sling psychrometer as used by US firefighters. Credit: OSCE

The potential for sensing technologies in bushfire management is immense. Advanced tools already provide firefighters and incident controllers with critical insights, broadly categorised into ground- and vehicle-based sensors, satellite and aircraft sensors, or derived sensing—where raw data is processed to create actionable information. Key information that is critical in fire operations is focused on some key areas:

· Weather – Weather conditions drive fire behaviour. Real-time, high-resolution weather data enables accurate fire predictions.

· Fire Detection and Location - Early detection and rapid extinguishment are the most effective ways to minimise fire impacts.

· Fuel and the environment – Understanding the type, quantity, and dryness of vegetation, and how these factors change over time, is crucial for risk assessment and fire behaviour prediction.

· Assets people and places – Knowing the location of people, infrastructure, and access routes is critical to protecting lives and property during firefighting efforts

Challenges and Opportunities

Image 2: A modern ‘Kestrel’ all in one weather device. Credit: OSCE

Sensing technologies for bushfires and natural hazards can reduce the labour-intensive processes currently used by fire agencies, allowing them to focus on firefighting. Further, communities increasingly expect real-time updates, driving the need for timely, accurate, and reliable information.

The reality is that bushfire management needs an ecosystem of sensors that contribute data and information to a common location that can be consumed and analysed by the relevant agencies. A diverse network of different sensors deployed through various methods within the landscape is essential to ensure that agencies have the information they need.

With the ever-increasing use of sensing and data collection the ability to analyse large stores of information and create actionable insights quickly is becoming the biggest challenge.

One of the biggest barriers to effective sensing lies in the practical challenges we often take for granted. Large fires typically ignite in remote and regional areas where reliable communication networks and power infrastructure are either unavailable or expensive to establish. As a result, the focus shifts to airborne or space-based technologies that can cover vast areas.

These technologies predominantly rely on visual methods to detect fires or assess their impact. While mostly effective in clear weather conditions, their performance diminishes significantly when this is not the case. Heavy smoke, dense cloud cover, or extreme weather can obstruct satellite views or ground aircraft, limiting their ability to provide timely and accurate data when it’s needed most.

Manager at the NSW Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer, Scott Colefax

Looking Ahead

The future of bushfire management depends on our ability to embrace and maximise the potential of sensing technologies. By investing in these innovations, we can shift to a proactive, predictive approach where fires are detected early, allowing resources to be deployed with precision and efficiency before they escalate.

To achieve this, the industry must foster a culture of experimentation and innovation, encouraging the trial and adoption of new ideas. Whether through testing advanced drone and sensor technologies, leveraging AI-powered sensing, or integrating real-time satellite data into fire operations, every advancement strengthens our ability to respond effectively.

Organisations like the NSW Smart Sensing Network and collaborative partnerships between industry, academia, and government agencies exemplify how united efforts can tackle this complex challenge. Together, we can build a resilient system that addresses the growing threat of bushfires, one sensor at a time.

Sensing the fire: harnessing technology to transform bushfire management