The fast-moving Camp Fire caused traffic gridlock as Butte Country residents tried to evacuate Thursday, leading some of them to abandon their vehicles as the fire grew closer to the roadways.
Had the now-deadly fire been detected earlier and officials been able to give more notice, some residents might have avoided the dangerous situation of such a narrow escape.
How far can technology go to help automatically detect and even predict wildfires? From coast to coast, computer scientists, researchers and others are working on pushing for as far as possible.
Early detection is key as wildfires have gotten worse in recent years, according to Jim Crawford, assistant chief of South Bay operations for Cal Fire’s Santa Clara unit, who has been a firefighter for 26 years.
“The job I signed up for 26 years ago is not the same job today,” he said. “In the 1990s, firefighters battled a normal large fire for a couple of weeks."