From Ignition to Extinction: Ensuring Success in Prescribed Burns

How modern technology is helping to ignite and extinguish prescribed burns.

Traditional methods for applying fire to the landscape have been seen as relatively straightforward, with minimal discussion about the need for technological advancement. Yet several new technology companies have challenged this status quo in recent years. 

Conducted both on foot and by helicopter, standard approaches have involved manual ignition methods, like using drip torches or aerial ignition systems like the "Red Dragon" suspended from helicopters. However, recent innovations are changing how prescribed burns are planned and executed, introducing new tools that enhance safety and efficiency.

At the Southern Group of State Foresters conference earlier this year in Wilmington, North Carolina, our team learned that the IGNIS aerial ignition device by Drone Amplified, mounted on FreeFly’s Alta X drone, has been used to ignite over 100,000 acres of forest as part of various prescribed burn programs.

This achievement is even more impressive because it occurred in the Southeastern United States, where much of the land is privately owned. Over 100,000 acres of forest were ignited using a drone deploying incendiary devices—a remarkable feat in a region with such complex land ownership. It is incredible to consider the challenges they had to overcome, such as how landowner permission was obtained. Or, how were state agencies convinced to support the program? And who is responsible if a prescribed burn goes awry?

This level of flexibility in a prescribed burn program is partly possible because it operates outside the constant national spotlight. While our drone-based aerial ignition projects typically cover tens of acres, the scale of igniting over 100,000 acres with a drone is genuinely remarkable.

One key factor that has made such large-scale work more feasible is Nova’s infrared analysis capability. (Full disclosure: we proudly count North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, and West Virginia among our clients.) Nova’s Hotspot plugin allows aerial ignition platforms equipped with infrared sensors to do more than just start fires—it ensures those fires are effectively monitored and fully extinguished.

Most of us can agree that prescribed burns are a net positive for society. In addition to preventing uncontrolled wildfires, they promote ecosystem health by restoring nutrients to the soil, encouraging plant regeneration, and maintaining the natural balance of forested areas. The more we can burn safely and under control, the less chance a wildfire ignition will grow out of control. 

It may seem like a straightforward issue for those in the fire community. However, public opinion has been slower to align. There remains a gap between what is truly best for forest health and what is perceived as best. Bridging this gap requires many efforts, one of the most critical being the reduction of fire escapes during prescribed burn events.

Take the Cerro Pelado and Calf Canyon/Hermit Peak fires as examples—prescribed burns that initially succeeded but went awry when smoldering hotspots reignited nearby vegetation during wind events. In 2022, these fires in New Mexico flared up after containment, ultimately burning over 400,000 acres and destroying nearly 1,000 structures.

Incidents like these do little to encourage the broader application of prescribed burns on the landscape.

Calf Canyon Fire from Space on May 11, 2022. The fire had just eclipsed the 300,000 acre mark. Credit Maxar Technologies

This is where Nova’s Hotspot plugin becomes invaluable.

Cold trailing and mop-up phases of wildfires are often tedious and exhausting—usually the least enjoyable part of firefighting. I’ve spent weeks cold-trailing with a crew of 20 firefighters, standing at arm's length from each other to avoid missing anything. The job involves using your senses—smelling for smoke, feeling the ground for heat—over days or weeks.

Fatigue can set in quickly, making it easy to overlook small heat sources. Yet, cold trailing is critical to ensuring that all efforts and resources spent on containment aren’t wasted. Any remaining heat can reignite, undoing all the hard work. In prescribed burns, it helps prevent smoldering hotspots from flaring up into uncontrolled wildfires.

Nova’s Hotspot plugin addresses this challenge.

Nova leverages the largest machine-learning dataset of low-altitude infrared imagery captured over wildfires to automatically map heat sources across the landscape. While mapping wildfires is important, pinpointing individual hotspots is a game changer. After a prescribed burn, you can fly a drone to ensure every heat source is extinguished.

With Nova’s built-in PDF generator, once the heat has been mapped, the data can be quickly converted into an Avenza-friendly map. This “treasure map” can be shared with firefighters, allowing them to target hotspots directly, reducing the need for traditional cold-trailing.

Promoting prescribed burns means ensuring they are fully controlled. When a fire is declared out, it must be out. People need to trust that every effort has been made to prevent reignition, keeping communities safe.

Nova’s Hotspot plugin should be integral to any prescribed burn operation, regardless of whether a drone was used to start the fire. It’s an inexpensive, upfront investment that supports ongoing prescribed burns, contributing to healthy ecosystem management.

Sign up today and start flying!