Trump advocates for deploying AI technology to combat wildfires, with utility companies already making attempts. The question remains whether this approach will be effective.
In a bid to combat the growing threat of wildfires, President Trump recently issued an executive order on June 12, 2025. The order emphasizes modernizing wildfire policy by integrating technology and creating a consolidated federal wildland fire service.
The White House's proposed 2026 budget blueprint would create a new, unified federal wildland fire service under the Department of Interior. This service would receive a substantial funding boost, with $3.7 billion allocated for its establishment, and an additional $2.8 billion for a wildfire suppression reserve fund.
The order promotes wider access to satellite imagery, which companies can use to train AI models, lowering costs and expanding monitoring capabilities to local governments and firefighting agencies with smaller budgets. Utilities, such as those managed by Abhishek Singh, CEO and co-founder of AiDash, are already leveraging technology to mitigate wildfire risk. AI paired with satellite data helps utilities identify high-risk areas for better tree management and fire risk monitoring.
Neil Chatterjee, a former FERC commissioner and chairman, shares Singh's views on the potential of technology to mitigate wildfire risk. He believes the executive order could modernize wildfire prevention efforts.
However, the risk of wildfires is expected to grow due to climate change and other factors, leading utilities to turn to technology for help. Utilities also invest in grid hardening and underground power lines to reduce fire risks during high-wind conditions. New platforms provide near-real-time wildfire detection by closing coverage gaps through advanced thermal satellite imaging, improving response times and situational awareness for emergency responders.
The order also calls for the declassification of historical satellite datasets to improve wildfire prediction and strengthening coordination among agencies. It directs federal agencies to create a roadmap for using technology to identify wildfire ignitions and weather forecasts to inform response and evacuation.
Despite these advancements, Andrew Dressel, a power industry consultant, cautioned that even as utilities prepare and technology advances, the risk of fire continues to increase. He also pointed out the need to harden homes and yards against fire, and to address concerns about the role of idle power lines in starting fires.
The National Interagency Fire Center has reported that the United States has experienced more wildfires this year than any other year in this decade. However, the budget eliminates funding from other agencies and programs that have historically played a role in addressing wildfires, including grants to support local firefighting efforts and the management of state and privately-owned forests.
Trump's executive order also calls for the use of technology to address wildfires, including artificial intelligence, data sharing, and improved prediction methods. However, it's important to note that while technology can greatly aid in wildfire prevention and suppression, it cannot replace the need for proper funding and coordination among agencies and local partners.
In a recent correction, it was clarified that AiDash's software monitors wildfire risk, not just wildfires themselves. The order's emphasis on technology and data sharing is seen as a step towards modernizing wildfire prevention efforts and aligning federal policy with available technology.
Despite the tax and spending bill Trump signed into law cutting funding for research and forecasting of climate-related threats, the executive order on wildfire prevention represents a significant step forward in the fight against wildfires.
- Neil Chatterjee, former FERC commissioner and chairman, supports the use of technology to mitigate wildfire risk, as it could modernize wildfire prevention efforts.
- The White House's proposed budget blueprint allocates a substantial amount for the establishment of a unified federal wildland fire service, with a focus on technology for wildfire prediction and suppression.
- Utilities, like those managed by Abhishek Singh, are leveraging AI and satellite data to identify high-risk areas for better tree management and fire risk monitoring, contributing to wildfire prevention efforts.
- Trump's executive order on wildfire prevention calls for the use of technology, including artificial intelligence, data sharing, and improved prediction methods, to combat wildfires, but emphasizes that such technology cannot replace the need for proper funding and coordination among agencies and local partners.
