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🎧Firetech: A match for the Valley

By Susan Howson
Published

Wildfires are getting larger, closer to human settlements, and more frequent. America’s west coast is especially vulnerable, which has Silicon Valley paying close attention. Its answer? Firetech, a whole new startup industry focused on developing technology to control and prevent fires.

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Pop quiz


Which is an actual example of firetech?

A. Medusa, a remote controlled fleet of fire hoses


B. BurnBot, a robot that sweeps up excess debris a little like a Roomba, and burns it before a wildfire can use it as fuel


C. Firebender, an airplane that drops more fire onto the existing fire, causing a chemical reaction that


D. Xtinguishd, like the foam-spraying thing you keep under your sink, only the size of a Zeppelin

Let Quartz visual journalist Clarisa Diaz and host Annalisa Merelli set you straight in “Firetech: A match for the Valley.”



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