GEORGETOWN, Calif. — Waves of fire swept through the Sierra Nevada forest, churning up smoke and leaving charred vegetation behind — all under the watchful eye of a heavy-duty drone.
Prescribed burns are key to reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires. Scientists are using high-tech tools to ensure they can be done safely in a warming world.
Prescribed burning of ground-level shrubs, branches and leaves is a time-tested tool to help prevent wildland fires from getting out of control, but a team led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine suggests that the practice isn't used frequently enough.