The danger of fires along the front range in Boulder County has been very real to us in recent weeks, and the response of our firefighters and emergency response system has been outstanding. What is missing is a sense of urgency to put together a comprehensive plan for early detection and immediate response that could prevent a repeat of the devastating Marshall Fire of December 2021.

Forest and grassland fires typically start slowly from a lightning strike, tossed cigarette, sparks or downed powerline, resulting first in a very small smoldering burn that could easily be extinguished by a few hundred gallons of water during the first 20 minutes following initiation. Once they spread, fires create their own updraft chimney effect which makes extinguishing them very challenging.

A quick search of the internet reveals that researchers and developers have described early detection and response strategies that typically involve (a) heat-sensitive cameras turned on 24 hours a day (b) being scanned continuously by AI trained to identify incipient fires (c) and sending warnings to rapid response teams aimed at extinguishing the fires before they grow out of control. A fourth element that is also being suggested is the use of automated drones that fly to the source of heat and transmit up-close images so that a human observer can distinguish between a smoldering lightning strike and a homeowner grilling hamburgers.

Two characteristics seem to be essential. First, the technology must be able to quickly detect very small fires and provide high-quality images. And second, the technology must be able to operate on its own, without human monitoring, until it spots something that warrants sending a warning to a human being. Without both of these elements, the system relies too directly on alert human monitors, who might not be available at 3:30 a.m. on a windy night.

We have elements of a comprehensive strategy in development in Boulder County. The County Commissioners place importance on the issue. The county, to my knowledge, has obtained four cameras, two of them sensitive to infrared images. They have, as I understand, also looked into using satellite imagery, but recognize that this poses limits to identifying very small fires across an area as broad as the front range of Boulder County. They are testing out the use of AI to monitor and interpret images collected by their four cameras. I find all of this very encouraging.

At the same time, I think more attention and support need to be directed towards this effort. The climate in Boulder is only going to get hotter and drier. The winds are likely to get stronger. Over the next 20 years, the conditions that resulted in the Marshall Fire may occur more frequently. We know from experience that a fire like the Marshall Fire is too powerful to be fought once it spreads much beyond its origin. To prevent a reoccurrence, we must detect it and respond to it very quickly.

Knowing that fire and wind have no respect for borders or jurisdictions, our response plan also has to be coordinated across boundaries, budgets and agencies. It would make no sense for the county to develop plans that don’t coordinate fully with the city, and across fire departments and emergency management teams.

Alan Davis is a professor emeritus at the University of Colorado Denver. Davis lives in Boulder.