With climate change accelerating the global wildfire crisis, governments are desperate. In the US alone, wildfires cause more than $350 billion in damage annually, and the toll will increase 30% by 2050, as more areas see higher temperatures, stronger winds, and drier conditions.
North of the border, Canadian wildfires continue to rage, their impact spilling southward. New York City was enveloped in eerie orange smoke, harming the health of people all along the East coast. Firefighters struggle to contain wildfires, many of them using the same tools they did centuries ago: shovels, rakes, and axes. They risk their lives every time they face a fire, with 522 wildland firefighters killed from 1990 to 2020. While aerial firefighting can reach areas inaccessible to ground crews, it’s inefficient, costing up to $200 to put out a single foot of fire.
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