The satellite communications operator Hispasat has rolled out its comprehensive fire management solution in a forest reforested by Green Engine, an initiative promoted by Repsol Foundation and Sylvestris. The installation has been carried out in the Alpedrinha forest, in Portugal, where Pyro’s Bseed WATCH sensors and visible and infrared panoramic cameras have been installed, together with a solar-powered satellite connectivity point. It will therefore cover an area of 25 hectares.
Following this roll out, further similar installations will be carried out in two other areas reforested in Spain by Green Engine: Allande and Grandas de Salime (Asturias, 886 hectares) and Nuñomoral (Extremadura, 597 hectares). All of them will be added to the 1,300 hectares already monitored since April 2023 in Caminomorisco (Extremadura).
Fire prevention and early detection
From their different locations, the Bseed WATCH sensors gather information on different environmental variables, such as temperature, relative humidity, CO2, wind speed and direction or pressure, among others, and transmit it to a central point, which sends it in real time to the cloud. This information, combined with images from the video camera, weather conditions and satellite images of the surrounding areas, is processed into a risk map in real time and for the next ten days. Through a notification system, the population and emergency personnel will be sent the most relevant information and will be alerted when the risk of fire is higher or there is a detection by the sensors.
These sensors also make it possible to detect fires immediately and without false alarms, greatly reducing response time, the risks associated with this type of catastrophe and the costs associated with late action. The information gathered makes it possible to know and anticipate fire behavior, the degree of flammability of forest fuels and the local weather forecast for the following hours. This information is vital for the efficiency and safety of firefighting tasks at all times, especially at night.
Javier Torres, Director of Repsol Social Impact at Repsol Foundation, stated that “we are very satisfied with the collaboration we have with Hispasat within the Green Engine initiative. Over the next few months, 2,800 hectares will be monitored through our technological partner, giving greater protection to reforestations and surrounding land.”
According to Ignacio Sanchis, Hispasat’s commercial director, “we are very proud to continue rolling out this comprehensive fire protection solution together with Repsol Foundation and Green Engine. We believe that the technology that will be used in the Alpedrinha forest is fundamental to guarantee the success of these reforestation projects.”
Hispasat’s and Pyro’s comprehensive fire protection management solution has already been successfully rolled out in other forest areas in Spain and Chile. The transmission of information from its sensors to the central node can cover distances of more than 10 kilometers and, thanks to the combined use of 4G and satellite communications and LoRa networks, allows these roll outs to be carried out even in the most remote areas, independently of land infrastructures.
Green Engine, launched in 2021, is a large-scale reforestation project in Spain and Portugal, with the aim of promoting reforestation as a tool for offsetting the carbon footprint. This initiative plans to reforest 70,000 hectares of land in the coming years, capturing more than 16 million tons of CO2. Green Engine is a project with a three-fold economic, social and environmental impact. Thanks to this initiative, inclusive, local employment is being created in those populations where plantations are created and there is a special focus on hiring vulnerable groups. Furthermore, it gives a boost to the economy, promoting specialized training and the creation of new businesses linked to the forestry sector, as well as attracting economic activity and generating wealth in the surrounding communities.
