VIDEO: Several Central Texas fire departments have adopted a new wildfire risk modeling tool to help firefighters better prepare and mitigate wildfire threats. The ‘Mitigate’ platform, developed by the company FiSci, uses proprietary AI and predictive analytics—combining detailed data on vegetation, weather patterns, and topography—to generate highly detailed maps that simulate how a wildfire could spread and intensify across specific areas.
Travis County Fire Rescue Fire Chief Ken Bailey said the technology helps firefighters take a more strategic approach when facing high‑risk conditions.
“Stuff like this allows us to really think about how we are deploying our resources,” Bailey said. ” [For example] what’s the probability it’s going to jump over and then threaten [a] neighborhood? By running these simulations, we get a higher sense of what our risks are.”
Bailey added that the tool can also help agencies test mitigation options, that simulate how actions such shaded fuel breaks, vegetation management, or changes to roadway access could alter fire’s path.
“These are before you make a decision to go out and spend the time and the energy and the resources to do it,” Bailey said. “We have the advantage of running a simulation to see if the bang is worth the buck.”
The software could also help with saving money for the department when handling staffing measures, according to Bailey. It could also help departments reduce staffing costs by giving guidance on when additional personnel is actually needed, Bailey explained.
“We all have fixed budgets, generally speaking, and so should we staff up today—does that match—because that costs money,” Bailey said. “This allows us to make a higher quality decision about where we put our resources, whether or not we’re up staffing.”
The other fire departments in Central Texas that have adopted this tool include Westlake Fire Department, Lake Travis Fire Rescue, and the Pflugerville Fire Department.