BurnBot unveiled in CA, controlled burn machine could reduce wildfire risk: See it in action here
The RX2, BurnBot's 2nd generation-controlled burn machine, came into action as it burned a path through grassy field in California
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The RX2, BurnBot's second generation-controlled burn machine, came into action as it burned a path through grass in Martinez, Calif. near San Francisco on Tuesday.
"It's a machine to apply technology to the art of prescribed burning, and prescribed burning is one of the best ways to create defensible spaces and control where, and when and where fires can start, and where they can go and where they cannot go," said Dr. Waleed S. "Lee" Haddad, Co-Founder and CTO at BurnBot, Inc., who has a PhD in Physics. "It's one of the best ways to stop wildfires from getting out of control."
PG&E and CAL FIRE are testing it to see if they will use it.
PG&E is looking to see if they might be able to use it as an alternative to mowers or herbicides to treat weeds, invasive species and shrubs around their facilities.
"It's about the size of a Zamboni," said Paul Doherty, PG&E spokesperson. "And in the same way the Zamboni will smooth the ice on a hockey rink, the BurnBot is able to essentially create a line of controlled burn, very controlled environment of a burn. So after you'll see the after effects, and it leaves a charred black line along the ground. And again, it's returning good fire to areas where prescribed burns, you know, have been used throughout California's history, and so it's a way that we can start to bring that back into the ecosystems and have reduced the wildfire risk."
MORE: Stanford University burn control experiment could help ecosystem, cut fire risk in years to come
CALFIRE still doesn't know if they will use it, but says:
"It could potentially help wildfires if this pretreats an area or increases the use of prescribed fire for landowners," said Len Nielson, CAL FIRE Prescribed Fire Staff Chief. "So it could definitely prevent large fires if the projects are in place and completed. Whether or not CAL FIRE uses it, that is what today is about."
Haddad said it costs less than half a million dollars. PG&E said BurnBot has the potential to save costs while reducing risk and helping the environment and talked about the possibility of renting it.
Haddad said this is their production model. They're building a second one and planning to build between three and ten more next year, he said.
