During field excursions to deploy the nodes, there are many roads that are overgrown with vegetation or may have lots of tall grass. This is always concerning, but it’s especially concerning during the fire season (summer and early fall, sometimes late spring) when it is drier and hotter. Small cars and SUVs that don’t have much ground clearance are a concern because they may spark forest fires. These sparks may come from the underside of the car and near the exhaust pipe. Due to this risk, all vehicles must carry shovels, fire extinguishers, and water in case a vehicle sparks a fire. Additionally, this is why we drive larger, taller trucks with lots of ground clearance to sites that are overgrown with grass or have lots of debris on the road. While driving along these roads during deployment and recovery of the nodes, it is extremely important to be very cautious and keep a watchful eye on your surroundings to make sure no fires are started by sparks from the vehicle. We also keep an eye out for wildfire occurring nearby. And, of course, NO SMOKING!

– Claire Conlon