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Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) has welcomed news that technology developed through its long-running collaboration with researchers, drone specialists and wildfire experts has received international recognition in the prestigious XPRIZE Wildfire competition.

The award was announced following the success of the AURA Foresight consortium, an international partnership that includes Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, the University of Bristol, the University of Sheffield, Fire Foresight and a number of technology partners. The team received a $500,000 award in the Autonomous Wildfire Response track after demonstrating a system capable of detecting and responding to potential wildfires within minutes.

The recognition builds on several years of collaboration between LFRS and partners, including pioneering trials with autonomous drone technology and intelligent wildfire detection systems. In 2024, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service worked alongside Windracers, the British developer of self-flying cargo aircraft, and leading robotics and artificial intelligence researchers to test drone swarms designed to autonomously detect and suppress fires before they develop into large-scale wildfires.

During the XPRIZE finals in Alaska, the AURA Foresight system successfully combined optical and thermal sensors, artificial intelligence and autonomous drone technology to detect, verify and respond to wildfire ignitions across a large wilderness area. The team met the competition's critical 10-minute detection target, demonstrating how emerging technologies could help emergency services identify and tackle fires at a much earlier stage.

Tim Murrell, Drone Manager at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and the National Fire Chiefs Council's lead for drones, said:

"We are extremely proud to have played a role in a project that has received international recognition through the XPRIZE Wildfire competition.

Wildfires are becoming increasingly frequent and complex events. Our involvement has always been about making sure emerging technology is shaped by the operational reality faced by firefighters and incident commanders.

The award recognises years of collaboration between fire and rescue services, researchers and technology partners. While there is still work to do before systems such as these become operationally deployable, the progress made so far demonstrates the huge potential of autonomous technology to support firefighters, improve situational awareness and help tackle wildfires at the earliest possible stage."

LFRS has been at the forefront of exploring how drone technology can support emergency response, from wildfire monitoring and aerial intelligence gathering through to the development of new heavy-lift drone capabilities. The Service is currently leading a separate project funded through the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to test heavy-lift drones capable of carrying up to 85kg of water and equipment into remote and difficult-to-access locations.

The award also highlights the value of bringing together operational expertise with cutting-edge research. Lancashire firefighters and wildfire specialists have worked closely with technology developers throughout the project to ensure systems are practical, affordable and capable of integrating into real-world emergency response operations.

As wildfire risk continues to increase due to climate change and prolonged periods of hot, dry weather, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service remains committed to exploring innovative ways to better protect communities, the environment and firefighters.