Around the world, large wildfires greatly harm people, economies, lifestyles, and forest resources. Wildfire Truck Concept offers a fresh vision for firefighting, with features that enhance the coordination and undertaking of firefighting efforts.

The difficulty of fighting large wildfires is increased by the fact that deep wilderness has no communication infrastructure. In remote locations the various arms of the firefighting force find coordination difficult, as trucks cannot share firefighting strategies and fire data with headquarters and aerial units.

The Wildfire Truck Concept is a “ground force wilderness information base” that does not rely on existing infrastructure. It transmits and receives information via satellites. With onboard video cameras, wind direction/speed measurement tools, and thermography, this vehicle measures fire conditions and transmits data to other forces.

The operation deck is six-sided, which creates a comfortable working space. The controls are water/dust-resistant, and multiple displays allow for easy communication with headquarters and aerial units. The truck can capture position and weather information, as well as aerial photographs. Wind direction and weather measurements help firefighters predict a fire’s movement and growth, which assists strategising efforts. The sharing of information captured by the deck enables fast, coordinated firefighting.

Fires can be fought from the deck while the truck is moving, eliminating the dangers posed to firefighters from flames and allowing wide areas to be put out rapidly. Door-mounted water/foam-cannons let the vehicle absorb recoil, so one person (rather than two) can handle each cannon. Thermal images of the ground (where fire can spread unseen beneath fallen leaves) allow the ground condition to be monitored during firefighting.

For efficient firefighting with little water, the designers developed a foam firefighting system that mixes air and foaming agents. This foam allows a firefighting capability equal to that of a conventional truck. The use of little water allows for a smaller water tank, which contributes to the provision of deck space and lowers the vehicle’s centre of gravity. The stock foam solution is an environmentally conscious surfactant produced from naturally derived raw materials.