In 2024, nearly 1,700 wildfires burned a combined one million hectares of land in British Columbia. Roughly 160 evacuation orders or alerts affected over 15,000 properties province-wide.
One-third of wildfires are caused by human activity, the Province estimates, with the rest being attributed to natural factors such as lightning. Whether man-made or nature-triggered, controlling and mitigating the damaging effects of these wildfires is important work. They cannot be eliminated, but they can be managed.
Prevention is the best medicine, which involves improved forest management. But once a fire has sparked, the next best approach is putting it out quickly—and that’s where modern technologies are starting to help.
Entities from Squamish to Prince George are collaborating to prioritize wildfire prevention and suppression through technological means.
Strategic Natural Resource Group and FireSwarm Solutions recently announced an “innovative partnership agreement” with Innergex Renewable Energy, an independent renewable power producer which develops and operates hydroelectric facilities, wind farms, solar farms, and energy storage facilities.
With operations in Canada, the U.S., and overseas, Innergex manages more than 40 hydroelectric facilities, three dozen wind facilities, 10 solar facilities, and multiple battery energy storage facilities.
Within B.C., Innergex operates 22 facilities, with another three currently in development.
“We are committed to the safety of our neighbours and protection of our assets,” says Colleen Giroux-Schmidt, Senior Vice President of Development for Western Canada at Innergex.
FireSwarm is a member of the BC Tech Association.
BC Tech is the largest member-led technology non-profit in British Columbia, and we’re dedicated to turning startups and scaleups into the anchor companies of tomorrow. Our work supports members to grow and diversify their talent pool, acquire new customers, access capital and accelerate their scaleup journey. Technology is a key industry for BC’s future and builds resiliency in every industry. Today, every company is a tech company. Join now.
Squamish-based FireSwarm Solutions, a 2025 TIA finalist, leverages advanced autonomous ultra heavy-lift, long-endurance Uncrewed Aerial System and drone technology, along patent-pending AI and machine learning algorithms and fire mission kits, all in order to deliver turn-key rapid detection and responses to wildfires.
“With this new partnership, we are enhancing our already comprehensive wildfire prevention and mitigation plans by incorporating additional wildfire resiliency and crew response capability,” Giroux-Schmidt said. “We will be exploring and testing these solutions, and we intend to expand their implementation to various sites, projects and communities.”
FireSwarm chief executive officer Alex Deslauriers stated that “Innergex’s climate leadership makes them the partner of choice for integrating FireSwarm’s technological advancement in wildfire response into a community-based effort aimed at protecting valuable assets at a regional scale.”
Strategic, which began working with FireSwarm earlier this year, will provide technical expertise and project management services.
“Strategic is proud to continue partnering with a company like Innergex, who has developed and maintained meaningful partnerships with Indigenous communities in B.C. for decades,” remarked Domenico Iannidinardo, CEO of Strategic Natural Resource Group. “Their commitment to wildfire resiliency solutions demonstrates their commitment in protecting their assets but most importantly in being a responsible developer and good neighbour.”
Last year, FireSwarm partnered with Tsunami Solutions. The startup has been recognized by XPRIZE, an environmental activism competition.
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