Jerusalem
A fire started by a spark can be more dangerous than a bomb or missile. Now hardly anyone would doubt this after seeing the burning city of Los Angeles in America, where the forest fire has burnt more than 13,000 houses to ashes and lakhs of people have been forced to take shelter. America, which is called the world’s superpower, is not able to control this fire. In such a situation, Israel is working on developing a system called Firedome, which will work to prevent fires. Its concept is derived from the super powerful air defense Iron Dome.
Israeli company is making fire defense
Speaking to Israeli media outlet Times of Israel, Gadi Benjamini, co-founder and CEO of startup Firedome, said that ‘fighting forest fires is also like war. Its firefighters are infantry. There are also airplanes, but they become difficult to fly during darkness and strong winds. What we are developing is a kind of artillery support.
He said, ‘We are developing a system which will increase the capacity and capability of fire fighters. They will be able to tackle more fires simultaneously and reach places where sometimes they cannot reach due to various logistical constraints.’ Firedome, founded in 2024, is developing a wildfire defense system based on the model of Iron Dome, which combines defense strategy and AI technology.
How will Firedome work?
On receiving an alert from the fire fighting aircraft, Firedome launches a capsule towards the area where the forest fire is moving. After launch, the capsule creates a fire-fighting environment in the area to form a protective barrier. This closes the way for forest fires to move forward.
Additionally, an AI-powered system leveraging computer vision and sensor technology detects and extinguishes airborne embers, bypassing the primary barrier. ‘Smart capsules have sensors that allow us to program the specific location in which they open,’ Benjamini said. They disperse the material into the air above the ground and create a sort of protective dome around the property. This will stop any fire from coming to the area.
