Landgate takes out international prize in firefighting technology, Grylls

Author: Brendon Grylls
Published on: 17-March-2010

Innovative technology used to combat fires in Indonesia has won Landgate the exporter category award at the 19th Western Australian Information Technology and Telecommunications Awards.

Lands Minister Brendon Grylls applauded the win today and said the exporter award was international recognition of the contribution of a West Australian organisation to the telecommunications and technology sector.

“Landgate International successfully submitted Firewatch Indonesia, which is also known as ‘Indofire’ to the awards,” Mr Grylls said.

“Indofire was made possible using Landgate’s world-class FireWatch technology.

“Winning this prestigious award means Landgate has been recognised for its expertise in developing and operating high quality, state-of-the-art land systems.”

The Minister said Indofire exported vital fire-watch data constantly to Indonesia.

“It is an innovative, online graphical fire monitoring system that detects and monitors forest and peatland fires, hot spots and smoke haze,” he said.

“The system provides data on point-of-origin, fire speed and direction and using satellite sensors Indofire generates invaluable fire monitoring information which can assist the early detection and suppression of fires.”

Indofire’s satellite technology not only detects fire, but also the burnt areas; lightning strikes; atmospheric and ground temperatures; health and rate of growth and vegetation; salinity; moisture content of soil; carbon stored in tree trunks, leaves and roots; and carbon lost through fire and land clearing.