{
  "id": 33541,
  "title": "How Australia combines modern tech and Indigenous knowledge to fight wildfires",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/01/how-australia-combines-modern-tech-and-indigenous-knowledge-to-fight-33541",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-08-01T21:03:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC News",
    "slug": "bbc-news",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czdmvr984yyo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Professor Marta Yebra, a bushfire expert from Spain now based in Canberra, is working to improve Australia's ability to combat wildfires. Her team at the Bushfire Research Centre of Excellence focuses on utilizing technology such as satellites, drones, and artificial intelligence alongside the traditional Indigenous knowledge of fire management. This cultural knowledge, passed down through generations, has only recently been recognized for its value in fighting fires.\n\nIndigenous communities have long understood the importance of using fire as a tool to manage the environment. The project Yebra spearheaded combines Indigenous knowledge with satellite imagery to predict where fires are most likely to occur. Adrian Webster, a local who grew up on the south coast of New South Wales, brings this Indigenous ecological knowledge to the table. He can verify the data provided by the satellites, translating it into information that can be used on the ground.\n\nThe satellite images measure the fuel moisture content in the landscape, indicating areas with a high concentration of dry vegetation. However, this data alone is not enough. Webster's understanding of the environment, gleaned from his elders, provides crucial context. For example, he can identify areas with natural signs of oil and water, which can help control the spread of a fire.\n\nOne of the key lessons from Australia's approach to fire management is the practice of lighting cool fires. These are small, controlled blazes designed to create a patchy landscape, preventing the buildup of fuel in one area. This concept, which dates back 60,000 years, is now being adopted in parts of Europe to reduce the risk of large, uncontrollable wildfires.\n\nAnother strategy is prescribed burning, or hazard reduction burning. These planned fires, usually carried out during cooler months, aim to reduce the amount of fuel available for wildfires. This approach is particularly important as more people move closer to bushland, increasing the risk of fires in urban fringe areas.",
  "summary": "As Europe faces its worst wildfires in decades, Australia offers lessons in disaster preparedness.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC World",
        "title": "How Australia combines modern tech and Indigenous knowledge to fight fire",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/01/how-australia-combines-modern-tech-and-indigenous-knowledge-to-fight",
        "published": "2026-08-01T21:03:42.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}