Wildfires are getting larger, closer to human settlements, and more frequent. America’s west coast is especially vulnerable, which has Silicon Valley paying close attention. Its answer? Firetech, a whole new startup industry focused on developing technology to control and prevent fires.
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Pop quiz
Which is an actual example of firetech?
A. Medusa, a remote controlled fleet of fire hoses
B. BurnBot, a robot that sweeps up excess debris a little like a Roomba, and burns it before a wildfire can use it as fuel
C. Firebender, an airplane that drops more fire onto the existing fire, causing a chemical reaction that
D. Xtinguishd, like the foam-spraying thing you keep under your sink, only the size of a Zeppelin
Let Quartz visual journalist Clarisa Diaz and host Annalisa Merelli set you straight in “Firetech: A match for the Valley.”
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