Bay Area-made robots help prevent wildfires

MARTINEZ, Calif. - It looks like something out of a science fiction movie, a new automated machine called the BurnBot.

Designed in South San Francisco, BurnBot is the brainchild of Waleed Haddad, cofounder of BurnBot Inc.

"I came to the realization that rather than trying to extinguish, it’s better to prevent fires from starting and control where they can and can’t go," said Dr. Haddad.

The BurnBot’s purpose is to create fire breaks with prescribed burns in wildfire-prone areas to prevent flames from spreading.

The team demonstrated what it can do on Tuesday in a field of dry grass next to PG&E’s Martinez substation.

"The BurnBot is cool," said PG&E’s Kevin Johnson. "If we have defensible space around this substation here then it’s much less likely to be threatened by a direct fire."

Here’s how it works. 

The operator uses a remote control to fire up the diesel-powered tractor which pulls the BurnBot trailer.

BurnBot carries propane torches to eliminate dry grass, sprays water on the charred debris left in its path, and then uses rollers to smother whatever is left.

But does is take away firefighting jobs?

That’s a question the designer keeps getting asked.

"The thing is, I think there’s just millions of acres in California that need to be burned safely to mitigate this wildfire problem," said Dr. Haddad.

But the designer told KTVU BurnBot does do the job of dozens of hand crews, freeing up manpower, while keeping firefighters out of danger and protecting homes and lives.

"The goal, long term, is to really help mitigate destructive wildfire with our technology," said Haddad.

With wildfires scorching more than nine hundred thousand acres across California this year, this cutting-edge technology is just another tool to help firefighters manage an age-old problem.

According to BurnBot Inc., the machine creates very little smoke, compared to an open burn.

As for how much it costs to hire BurnBot, the company is not releasing that information yet.

Cal Fire staff were at the demonstration in Martinez and a spokesperson told KTVU, "Cal Fire continues to support emerging technology for prescribed fire and vegetation management. The BurnBot is advancing these technologies, and we are encouraged to see these efforts to increase the pace and scale of prescribed fire."