Drones are fighting wildfires in some very surprising ways

Bad as they are, the wildfires now raging in southern California aren't exactly unprecedented. Wildfires in the U.S. were brutal last summer too, scorching more than 8.8 million acres and cloaking the Pacific Northwest in smoke and ash. In California alone last year, more than 40 people died and 8,400 buildings were destroyed in the deadliest wildfires in the state’s history.

Things may only get worse in years to come. Climate change is lengthening fire seasons and triggering more and larger blazes.

But aerial drones may help save the day. In fact, the Los Angeles Fire Department today said it would use firefighting drones for the first time in its history to coordinate the effort to help extinguish a pair of fires threatening homes in the city.  Read More