Deployment density

Sensor density

When planning sensor deployments, the amount of human activity in an area determines the distances between sensors for that area:

• High human activity: 80-100m

  Dense deployment of sensors in high-risk areas. In areas with increased human interaction, plan for a dense deployment of sensors. We recommend a short distance between sensors - approximately 80 to 100m between sensors.

• Low human activity: 400 to 500m

  Sparse deployment of sensors in remote locations. In areas with little to no human activity, the distance between sensors can be increased to approximately 400 to 500m between sensors.

With this approach of variable density, the overall system cost can be reduced while maintaining an overall good wildfire detection time and rate.

Additionally, sensor deployment density determines location guidelines for Mesh Gateways and Border Gateways.

Density values per hectare

More than 80% of wildfires can be attributed to human activity, depending on the region. Of most concern are the areas where wildland and urban areas intersect. This is known as the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).

Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) is a location where “ burnable structures are interspersed within wildland fuels”. A broader term is “Wildland Industrial Interface” where industrial infrastructure (such as roads, power lines and railways) intermingles with wildland fuels (source: Canada Wildfire). WUI as defined by the United States Fire Administration:

The WUI is the zone of transition between unoccupied land and human development. It is the line, area or zone where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels.

Based on WUI, we recommend the following density values:

• Dense: 0.7 devices per hectare (0.7/ha):

  Dense deployment of sensors next to roads, campsites or parking lots.

• Sparse: 0.1 devices per hectare (0.1/ha):

  Sparse deployment of sensors in remote locations such as deep within forests.