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Megafires are on the rise. Many of us had personal experience with smoke and wildfire over the past year, sometimes tragically, even in communities that have rarely been on the front lines of this type of disaster.
‘Megafire’ is defined as a fire that burns more than 100,000 acres and has significant impacts on ecosystems and communities. Given the headlines and personal impacts, it's hard to accept that not all fires are bad.
These are fire-adapted landscapes that have had their natural cycles disrupted and their former stewards displaced. Indigenous peoples have long known the best tactics for controlled burns to ecologically manage the forest and remove material that becomes dry, brittle tinderboxes.
The issue now prioritization, which is where AI can help. Which forests are most at risk? Which are best candidates for this kind of management? Allison Wolff of Vibrant Planet, along with her co-founders, are using AI and machine learning to create predictive models that can answer these questions and deploy resources to protect forests for generations to come. Vibrant Planet PBC, founded Nov 2020, builds platforms that help build community and landscape resilience in the face of climate change and wildfire. Prior to developing technology, we served technology leaders, helping them tilt their technologies towards good.
After building the Netflix brand and digital experience, Allison Wolff, CEO of Vibrant Planet, advised corporate and nonprofit leadership teams on vision, strategy, and social and environmental innovation. Clients include Google, eBay, Facebook, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Omidyar Network, Patagonia, Nike, HP, Drawdown, Conservation International, and GlobalGiving. She is now leveraging her experience and network to develop solutions for forest and landscape resilience and carbon drawdown. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx