Drone technology is being used to manage the Doe Canyon Fire burning on the San Juan National Forest southeast of Dove Creek.
Most of the fire is being allowed to burn naturally to reduce buildup of forest litter and understory within a 2,000-acre area surrounded by roads.
Within the interior of the containment zone thick with downed timber and beetle-killed trees, a specialized drone is dropping pingpong balls filled with flammable liquid to ignite the forest floor, said public information officer Andy Lyon.
“In that hazardous area, igniting fire with the drone is safer than sending in firefighters,” he said.
The remote-controlled drone, also known as an unmanned aircraft system, is being operated by Unaweep Wildland Fire Module firefighters who have Federal Aviation Administration pilot certification.
Lyons said the drone ignition was used Tuesday and is planned for Thursday if conditions warrant.
The drone is equipped with real-time video and carries pingpong balls with a dry chemical powder in them. When the signal is given by the operator, a device injects glycol into the ball, and it falls to the forest floor. A delayed chemical reaction between the glycol and the powder causes the ball to slowly ignite.
The drone carries 150 pingpong balls that can be released in a controlled manner. The method is less costly and safer than using helicopters.
Cameras on the drones are also used for fire reconnaissance and can be equipped with infrared capabilities to check for spot fires.
The Unaweep Willdand Fire Module is uniquely qualified for fire-specific UAS missions. They are in communication with fire managers and all other aviation assets in the fire area.
“It is a highly coordinated effort with all ground and aviation resources,” a Unaweep press release said. “UAS operations supply low-risk, cost-effective intelligence and scouting to firefighters on the ground, limiting risk exposure.”
jmimiaga@the-journal.com