Tag Archives: wildfire
Google Maps is tracking the spread of America’s wildfires hour by hour
800,000 Californians could be without power by the end of the day
By the end of the day, more than half of all California counties could be without power. In an attempt to prevent wildfires, the state's largest utility Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is rolling out a planned power outage. Once fully implement...
Tesla warns California customers to charge their EVs ahead of outages
With dry weather and windy conditions on the horizon, California's Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) utility is planning a mass power outage to prevent electricity lines from sparking wildfires. That could be bad news for electric vehicle owners,...
Air pollution app now doubles as a wildfire warning system
Wildfires are becoming larger and more frequent than ever, and can have lingering effects on the air quality. Breezometer, a free app that offers real-time air quality data, announced that it will be offering fire alerts to help users determine if th...
Verizon lifts data speed caps for wildfire responders amid backlash
Earlier this week, Verizon came under fire for throttling a fire department's unlimited data while it was responding to the massive Mendocino Complex Fire that's ravaging California. The department was ultimately pushed into a more expensive plan in...
Verizon data throttling hampered response to Mendocino wildfire
Santa Clara County Fire Chief Anthony Bowden has filed an addendum (PDF) as part of a lawsuit headed by 22 state attorneys general that's seeking to reinstate net neutrality regulations repealed by the FCC in December. In the addendum, Ars Technica r...
HP lost key historical archives in California’s wildfires
There's no question that California's recent wildfires are ultimately a human tragedy, destroying homes and upturning lives. Please donate if you can. However, they've also represented a loss for technology history. The Press Democrat has learned tha...
DJI drones will now get real-time wildfire alerts
DJI has added real-time wildfire alerts to its geofencing system to prevent drones from wandering into affected areas and hampering firefighting efforts. The company already upgraded its Geospatial Environment Online software earlier this month with...
Professor saves home with smart sprinklers from 3,000km away
Deadly bushfires have swept across South Australia this week, destroying countless properties and natural spaces. One ingenious professor was able to save his rural home, however, by remotely activating sprinklers using a smartphone. Simon Maddocks,...