Wildfires are growing in size and strength. With each year, these fires seem to cause more damage, making headlines and taking a toll on communities. But with each fire, we also see a pattern: governments and traditional methods struggle to keep pace.
In other industries, private companies have made significant strides where governments were unable to meet the swift changes in tech, economy and nature.
I asked myself recently: Could the private sector, with its ability to absorb tech integration, be a scalable and rapid answer to our expanding wildfire (and moreso – disasters in general) problem?
Wildfires Growing Wild
Year to date in 2023, the NIFC has recorded 88 large wildfires and 40k fires in total across the USA, amounting to 2M of acres burnt. 20’000 personnel were dispatched in response.
Growing wilder: An increase of +45% of annual fires and a stunning +75% of acres burnt per year are observed over the last ten years.
Where Traditional Methods Fall Short
Government firefighting teams are skilled. They are dedicated. But they face challenges. With limited budgets, they often do not use the most modern (tactical) tools. Finding talent is a growing issue (as it is everywhere). Semi-Public jobs aren’t necessarily going to be the winners of finding talent…
And as fires grow larger, these teams are spread thin. There’s a need for help, and a private firefighting force usin cutting-edge technology might have the answers?
Lessons from Space: The Rise of Private Enterprises
When we look at space exploration, we see a clear shift. Once dominated by government agencies like NASA, the arena has dramatically transformed thanks to private companies. Companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Isar Aerospace have changed the game. They’ve brought fresh ideas, swift implementation, and innovative technologies. SpaceX, for instance, reduced the cost of launching payloads to space, turning the dream of commercial space travel into a tangible reality. Blue Origin focuses on building a future where millions of people live and work in space. Meanwhile, Isar Aerospace is putting Europe on the map with its satellite launch solutions. These companies, unburdened by the bureaucratic pace of government agencies, have made space exploration faster, cheaper, and more ambitious.
The Same Happens on the Battlefield
A similar transition is evident on the tactical battlefield. Traditionally, national military forces were the primary actors in conflict zones. But in recent years, private military corporations (PMCs) have carved a significant niche for themselves. These corporations offer specialized services, from security detail for diplomats to logistics and support in war-torn regions. Their agility and capacity to provide tailored solutions have made them invaluable in many situations. PMCs can operate without the same level of red tape that national military units face. This allows for faster decision-making and deployment. Critics argue that this flexibility can sometimes border on recklessness or undermine diplomatic efforts. However, there’s no denying that PMCs have transformed the tactical landscape, proving that private entities can impact areas traditionally overseen by state actors.
And Also in Previously Public Healthcare
The healthcare landscape is also experiencing a seismic shift due to private tech intervention. Traditional healthcare systems, often mired in bureaucracy and slow to adapt, are now being supplemented or even bypassed by agile tech companies. These companies are revolutionizing the sector, offering solutions ranging from AI-powered diagnostics to telemedicine platforms. For instance, tech giants like Apple and Google are entering the health space with apps and devices that monitor vital statistics, enabling early disease detection and personal health management. Startups are also flourishing, offering telehealth consultations, digital therapy sessions, and online pharmacy services. By doing so, they’re making healthcare more accessible and tailored to individual needs. While these advancements promise improved patient outcomes and cost-saving measures, they also underscore the trend: the boundary between the tech industry and healthcare is blurring, heralding a new era of privatized, tech-driven health solutions.
Apply This to Disaster Response: The Potential of Private Tech in Wildfires
As you can see, private tech startups have already transformed many sectors. They bring tech absorption. They have money to invest in research. And they can act fast. Here’s how they might help with wildfires:
But: Not Easy to Fix …
Here are some issues you might face if founders want to go after this big opportunity:
Why Now, You Ask ?
Consider this:
Growing Frequency and Intensity of Wildfires: Climate change has significantly contributed to more extended fire seasons, drier conditions, and more intense wildfires. Regions previously untouched or minimally impacted by wildfires are now seeing increased activity. This escalating threat necessitates innovative solutions. In fact, the US has already called in the National Guard (i.e. Military) to help with responding to massive wildfires in 2020 and 2021.
Failed States → Private Companies: As previously seen in defense, space and healthcare, state-critical sectors that crumble under massive requirements when administered by state-actors get “fixed” by outsourcing narrowly scoped tasks/projects to mega-private corps who can work more agile, adopt technology, and attract talent.
Rapid Technological Advancements > Tech Absorption of Incumbent Firefighting Forces: Data analytics, AI, satellite imaging, robotics and drone technology have reached a level of sophistication that allows for accurate wildfire prediction, real-time monitoring, and effective firefighting strategies.
Limited Resources of Public Firefighting Entities: In many regions, public firefighting resources are stretched thin. As wildfires become larger and more frequent, public entities are struggling to respond effectively. A private corps could provide additional manpower and resources during peak times.
Public Awareness → Political Considerations: Public consciousness about wildfires, largely driven by high-profile fires and their coverage in the media, is at an all-time high. While the ability to fight them is deteriorating. Disaster responses from history can “make or break” a political candidate in an election year, see Katrina (2006) in the US or the Oder-Floodings (2002) in Germany. Natural disasters – and the ability to effectively respond to them – creates political exposure to incumbent administrators, who in turn might be very inclined to adopt “easy” private solutions to outsource the problem-solution and maintain exculpation.
I remain extremely interested in this opportunity. We (Foundamental) are affiliated with large forest owners. As investors in the real-world, packed with this understanding of forests, and our history of partnering with founders in hard-tech, 3D and robotics, we are quite intrigued by what this opportunity has to offer to build a vast company to improve earth.