Компания из Новой Шотландии ищет партнеров для масштабирования ПО для моделирования лесных пожаров

Nova Scotia company looking to take next step in development of wildfire simulation software 'We can simulate a forest fire for a day or weeks,' says 3D Wave Design co-founder An Indigenous company based on the South Shore is looking for partners to help take its wildfire simulation software across Canada. Barry Stevens and his son, Noah, co-founded 3D Wave Design to show environmental and infrastructure risks through 3D mapping. Now, 10 years after partnering up, they’ve created software called FireGuardian, which models fire behaviours and risks using real-life data. Stevens said the software could be adapted across North America and has serious implications given the rise in fires, with FireGuardian designed to first help Canadian municipalities. “It allows people with a technical training on fire to quickly and readily do simulations and mitigation strategies like wood treatment, silviculture, and controlled burning. It works, and we’ve had it tested by the federal government,” Stevens told The Chronicle Herald. “The software will allow you in seconds to simulate a day’s worth of burning anywhere in Canada. We can simulate a forest fire for a day or weeks.” New software for changing times Stevens, a member of Wasoqopa’q First Nation, has spent most of his life along the South Shore. But his home is changing, with fires and floods in recent years becoming more prevalent across the province and the rest of the country. 3D Wave Design previously helped design 3D flood plain software, which has been used by the Town of Mahone Bay during its living shoreline project and by other municipalities in the province. Their software, Stevens said, helps governments and the public understand risks. “I was at a presentation and the engineer on stage said there’s this thing called flood amnesia,” he said. “Once the flood dries up, no one ever thinks of it again. I don’t think anyone thinks their whole community or their livelihood or where they grew up could disappear in a couple of days, but fire does that. “What we have to do is give people the understanding that yes, fires happen, and yes, there is suppression. But there are things we can do to reduce it.” Stevens said their data was taken from the federal Department of Natural Resources and Canadian Forestry Services. Looking for partners Stevens said it took some time for 3D Wave Design to get traction with its flood plains mapping and expects it’ll be a similar case for FireGuardian. But he encourages interested towns and municipalities to reached out to learn about the software, with the expectation that he’ll soon be giving a talk at the Town of Mahone Bay. Stevens said they’re also looking for partners to help scale the project. “We’re actively looking for joint ventures or partners to get this across Canada as quickly as possible.”