Fire Grand Challenge

I’m delighted to become an official evaluator of entries to the Conservation XLabs Fire Grand Challenge, which seeks to find pioneering new solutions to the problem of living with wildfire in Western North America, including the western United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The Challenge

“Fire is a natural part of many ecosystems. But on a planet rapidly changing due to climate change, habitat destruction, and resource extraction, fire is becoming an increasing threat to nature and human communities alike. Just as human-caused changes have made fire a danger in many places, human ingenuity has the power to reimagine and remember how we, and the creatures we share Earth with, can live and thrive with fire” Conservation Labs.

This open innovation competition offers over $1,000,000 in prizes and support to innovations for scalable solutions that braid together traditional and rural knowledge with cutting-edge technology and innovation in Western North America. In 2025, 12 finalist teams, each composed of a technical applicant and a partner community, will receive $50,000 to field-test and further develop their solutions in a 9-month accelerator program.

Read more and find entry details here.