EmberThreat: Using AI to assess and reduce wildfire risk

EmberThreat is an online tool focused on assessing wildfire risk that utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to help homeowners, residents, and related agencies quickly understand and reduce fire risk. The primary threat posed by wildfires to home properties is usually not from direct flames, but from burning embers carried by the wind that can travel more than a mile. These embers can ignite flammable materials around a home and start a fire, and EmberThreat's core features are designed to combat this threat. Users simply upload a photo of their property, and the tool's AI system automatically performs an analysis to identify potential fire hazards and assess the defensive space around the home. It generates a comprehensive risk score for the user's property based on defensible space standards set by official bodies such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the California Fire Protection Agency (CAL FIRE), and provides a tailored action plan that guides the user on how to effectively make improvements.

Function List

• Intelligent Photo Analysis: Once a user uploads a photo of the property, the system automatically identifies vegetation, building structure and other potential fire hazards and assesses the effectiveness of the defense space accordingly.
• Instant risk assessment: The system combines photo analysis, geographic location, topography and real-time data to generate a composite risk score for a property.
• Customized action plans:: Based on the results of the assessment, the system provides a set of prioritized, actionable recommendations for improvement to help the user accurately reduce risk.
• Fire-resistant plants database: Provides a list of fire-resistant plants that contain a variety of fire-resistant plants appropriate for the user's climate zone, and the user can utilize this information to create landscapes that are both aesthetically pleasing and safe.
• Location-based analysis: By entering the property address, the tool can access site-specific risk factors such as topography, local vegetation type, etc., making the assessment more accurate.

Using Help

The EmberThreat tool was designed with the idea of making complex wildfire risk assessments simple, fast, and usable by everyone. Users don't need specialized knowledge, simply follow the steps below to get a professional risk assessment report and improvement plan in seconds.

Step 1: Beginning the assessment

When you visit the home page of the EmberThreat website, you will see a prominent button "Assess My Property Now". Clicking on this button will start the appraisal process. The process is divided into two main sections: entering your address and uploading your photos.

Step 2: Enter your property address

The first step in the process is to enter the address of your property. This step is critical because wildfire risk is closely tied to location. The tool requires address information to analyze several key factors:

• Topographic features:: The slope of your property significantly affects the rate of fire spread. Fires spread much faster uphill than on level ground or downhill.
• Local vegetation:: Different areas have different vegetation types and densities with varying flammability. The tool will incorporate local vegetation data to assess risk.
• Regional risk level: Certain areas are historically high wildfire areas. Addresses can help systems access this historical data and real-time fire danger warnings.

After entering the exact address, click "Continue to Photos" to proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Upload property photos

This is a core part of the AI analysis performed by EmberThreat. In order for the AI to get the most comprehensive information for an accurate assessment, please provide as many clear, multi-angle photos as possible. The following types of photos are recommended to be uploaded:

• Front, back and side of the house: Provide at least 3-4 photos that show all elevations of the house. This will help the AI to evaluate the wall materials, window and door construction and the distance from the surrounding vegetation.
• Roof photos:: Take photographs of the roof if it is safe to do so. The roof is the place where embers are most likely to accumulate, and its material (e.g., shingles or asphalt shingles) and cleanliness (presence of accumulated dead leaves) are key assessment points.
• Vegetation around the house:: Photograph 0-5 feet ("non-burning zone"), 5-30 feet ("lean, clean, and green zone"), and 30-100 feet ("fuel reduction zone") around the house range of plants, trees, and groundcovers. These are the primary basis for evaluating "defensible space."
• Decks, fences and outbuildings: Take photos of any wooden decks, fences, or attached sheds attached to the main house, as they may be a bridge for the fire to spread to the main structure.
• ground cover: Photograph ground cover around the foundation of your home, such as wood chips, hay, or rubber mulch, which are common flammable materials.

Once the photo is uploaded, the AI system will immediately start analyzing it.

Step 4: Get and interpret your report

Immediately after the analysis is complete, you will receive a comprehensive report containing the following:

• risk score: A straightforward score that visually tells you the risk level of your property.
• detailed analysis:: The report will detail all the risk points identified by the AI, with pictures and text explaining why they are risk points. For example, the report might state that "bushes on the side of the house are too close to the wall" or that "there is a large accumulation of dead leaves in the roof guttering".
• action plan:: This is the most valuable part of the report. The system will provide a list of specific, actionable recommendations for improvement, ranked according to risk. For example, it may suggest that you:
  • 修剪距离房屋5英尺内的所有树枝。
  • 将木柴堆移至距离房屋至少30英尺远的地方。
  • 清理屋顶和排水沟中的所有针叶和枯叶。
  • 在房屋地基周围铺设砾石或石材等非易燃覆盖物。
• Fire-resistant plant recommendations: The report will also recommend plants that are aesthetically pleasing and less likely to burn, depending on your climate zone, for you to consider when re-landscaping.

By following this customized action plan, you can systematically and purposefully improve your property's fire protection capabilities and effectively protect your home from the threat of wildfire.

application scenario

1. Property Owner
   Homeowners can use the tool to perform regular "check-ups" on their properties to proactively identify and manage wildfire risk. Cleaning and fortifying your home before fire season with the action plan provided by the tool can significantly improve your home's chances of survival.
2. Homebuyers and Realtors
   Before purchasing a property, especially one located in a suburban or rural area, prospective buyers can use EmberThreat to assess the wildfire risk of their target. This can serve as an important reference in the decision to purchase a property and also provides a basis for bargaining.
3. Community and fire departments
   Community organizations or local fire departments can promote this tool to help residents throughout the community raise fire awareness and conduct a uniform risk assessment. By aggregating the data, the most vulnerable areas of the community can be identified and prioritized where resources can be invested in fire prevention retrofits or education.
4. insurance industry
   Insurance companies can use the tool as an initial risk assessment tool to determine policy rates more accurately. For policyholders in high-risk areas, insurers can recommend that they use the tool for self-inspection and improvement, and offer premium discounts to customers who complete the improvement.

QA

1. Why does this tool focus so much on "embers"?
   That's because studies have shown that up to 90% of homes destroyed in wildfires were ignited by embers that traveled on the wind, rather than being directly engulfed by huge walls of fire. Embers can travel more than a mile, find vulnerable points in a home (e.g., piles of dead leaves, open vents, etc.) and start a fire. Therefore, defending against embers is key to protecting your home.
2. What is the scientific basis for the assessment?
   The tool's assessment algorithms are based on two authoritative fire protection standards: the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Fire Code and the California Fire Protection Agency's (CAL FIRE) "Defensive Space" guidelines. This ensures the scientific and authoritative nature of its recommendations.
3. Are my personal data and uploaded photos safe?
   In accordance with the website's privacy policy, EmberThreat is committed to protecting user data. Uploaded photos and address information are used for risk assessment purposes only and the service follows standard privacy practices.
4. What is Defensible Space?
   "Defensible space" is the area around your home that is maintained to slow or stop the spread of wildfire. It is typically divided into three zones: a 0-5 foot non-burning zone, a 5-30 foot lean, clean and green zone, and a 30-100 foot fuel reduction zone. Creating effective defensible space is one of the most important measures to protect your home from wildfire.