PORTLAND, Maine — Maine Forest Rangers are using drones to help find fires sparked by lightning strikes.
Rangers say they’re now coupling the technology with lightning data from the Federal Bureau of Land Management.
Rangers then take that data, make maps, and track down where exactly those fires struck using the drones.
The Maine Forest Service says that helps them figure out the best way to attack the fires and put them out.
“The benefit of utilizing this technology for us, it’s, it’s huge,” Maine Forest Service Regional Forest Ranger Lt. Jeff Currier said. “And, it’s not difficult. But it is something that we are committed to so we can rapidly attack any fire anywhere in the state and kill it quickly.”
Some of the drones have infrared and thermal technology, and the Maine Forest Service says it’s hoping to expand that to the rest of its fleet as the budget allows.
