The Spanish company has developed a firefighting simulator that predicts fire behavior. The US Marine Corps base at Camp Pendleton, California and the State of Texas are already using this technology.

The company Tecnosylva, which first brought its products to San Diego almost a year ago, is consolidating its position as a leader in the prevention and management of forest fires in the United States. This Spanish technology uses a fire simulator to let users predict a fire’s behavior and bring to bear the necessary means to put it out.

The most recent converts to this cutting edge technology are the US Marines at their Camp Pendleton, California base, who err on the side of caution when it comes to performing military manoeuvers. These training activities can occasionally give rise to fires, making it necessary to analyze in detail where there is a risk that local vegetation could be susceptible to combustion.

Also among the company’s customers is the State of Texas, whose fire prevention network is responsible for almost 700,000 square kilometers of territory and includes many areas where the risk of fires breaking out is very high.

San Diego Gas & Electric is another Tecnosylva client. This electric utility has had to pay out more damage claims than any other due to damage caused by fires, amounting to $1.8 billion.

The software developed by Tecnosylva includes a forecasting tool called Wildfire Analyst that informs users where the highest areas of risk are. It also offers a management tool called fiResponse which uses a simulation to give users the information they need in order to put out the fire in the most efficient and safest manner possible. The systems also show firefighters the safest escape routes in case residents have to be evacuated and the best method for evacuation.