BURNING BEAR
Prescribed Burn Training Program
Burning Bear stands as a pioneering prototype for a virtual training program focused on prescribed burns. The surge in wildfires in Northern California has prompted a concerted effort to prevent wildland fires, with Burning Bear serving as a key method for primary prevention. In collaboration with Herb Love, a retired CalFire Division Chief, I dedicated my time and expertise to develop and test this innovative prototype.
The name “Burning Bear” pays tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of the 19 Granite Mountain ‘Hotshots’ firefighters who tragically lost their lives on June 30, 2013, while battling the Yarnell Hill Fire. It serves as a perpetual reminder of their crucial work and the necessity for effective training programs like Burning Bear to avert future tragedies.
The virtual landscape of Burning Bear features Hog Lake, represented using photogrammetry. The virtual scenario incorporates factors such as the time of year, wind speed, native vegetation, and real fire behavior data. After rigorous testing, Unreal Engine was chosen over Unity, and the firefighter trainee is equipped with tools like a driptorch and a fusee.
For this promotion video, I wanted to feature the users of the Burning Bear VR simulation training – the firefighters. Its statistics inform people of the dangers of firefighting even while in training.
The prototype for Burning Bear took inspiration from the grassy fields around Hog Lake near Red Bluff, California. Utilizing photogrammetry, which involved aerial drone footage and Autodesk’s Recap, we successfully replicated the 3D model of the Hog Lake field. To enhance rendering performance, we opted to use the photogrammetry model as a template and created a more lightweight and efficient model. Choosing UnReal over Unity was a deliberate decision, driven by the superior quality of visual fire effects offered by UnReal. Real fire data was intricately integrated into the algorithms, ensuring the simulation realistically captured the speed and spread of vegetation burn.
We held our user testing at the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and invited the CALFIRE – Tehama firefighters as well as volunteers. The response was favorable and we took note of the feedback and surveys for our next iteration of the training simulations.
Burning Bear
Prescribed Burn Training Program Presentation Deck
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Burning Bear
Design Requirements & Ideation
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Burning Bear
User Interface
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Burning Bear Vegetation Plan – Following extensive testing of our prototype in collaboration with CalFire and various government fire prevention agencies, it became evident that for agencies to fully embrace the Burning Bear simulation training, it must be integrated into a comprehensive training program. This entails the inclusion of all facets of vegetation burn planning. Thorough research and approval of information concerning the particular area, its ownership, prevailing conditions, and the surrounding environment are essential prerequisites before proposing any burn. The viability of a vegetation burn is contingent upon the approval of a preliminary burn plan, determining whether the operation is feasible or not. Below is a Figma prototype of a proposed burn plan.