Can A Bot Reduce Napa's Fire Danger? Watch

NAPA VALLEY, CA — After some of the most catastrophic blazes in recent years, communities are trying to prevent more by removing risks that can feed a fire.

Napa firefighters have been showing off BurnBot, a remote-controlled mulcher, deployed in the Hogback Ridgeline Fuel Break Project they say make the landscape along the Napa-Sonoma border less vulnerable to fires, close gaps in vegetation to slow the spread of wildfires, and create safer conditions for firefighters.

Fire officials say targeting untreated pockets of vegetation now, rather than later, turns vulnerable ridgelines from potential liabilities into critical lines of defense.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and implemented by Napa Firewise, the project aims to create a secure, defensible line for firefighters, protecting nearby communities like Angwin.

During a recent site visit, officials from the Napa County Fire Marshals' Office said that fuel reduction is an investment in protection, prevention, and peace of mind.

BurnBot, a remote-controlled mulcher deployed on Hogback Ridgeline Fuel Break Project along the Napa-Sonoma County border.
Watch the video.