California agencies eye BurnBot for wildfire prevention

The BurnBot RX2 is a robotic system designed to assist wildfire prevention in California by performing controlled ground incineration at temperatures up to 1700°F. Recently, representatives from agencies including the American Forest Foundation, BurnBot, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) toured demonstration sites in Nevada County to evaluate the robot’s potential for local wildfire management. BurnBot aims to improve prescribed burns by creating precise, controlled burn boundaries that reduce wildfire risk while preserving soil health and native species—advantages over traditional mechanical clearing methods that can encourage invasive species and disrupt ecosystems. BurnBot operates remotely within 500 feet of a trained operator, typically an ex-firefighter, who controls the robot’s speed, direction, and burn parameters. The robot uses propane torches to lay down “black lines” that act as firebreaks, supported by fans for oxygen flow, steel rollers to tamp embers, and water sprays to extinguish residual flames. Capable of operating continuously in various weather and terrain,