NASA Awards Opal AI $1M+ to Transform Wildfire Intelligence with Multimodal AI Systems

We're thrilled to announce that NASA has awarded Opal AI over $1 million in Phase I & II SBIR funding to develop FireVision, an AI-powered platform that revolutionizes how communities predict, prepare for, and respond to wildfires.

This milestone signifies the trust NASA places in our team and serves as a validation of our mission to enhance wildfire intelligence, making it faster, smarter, and more accessible when every minute is critical.

Introducing FireVision: AI-Powered Wildfire Intelligence

FireVision transforms how we understand and respond to wildfire threats by fusing NASA satellite data with our advanced multimodal artificial intelligence system. Our platform delivers what traditional systems can't: real-time, high-resolution wildfire risk assessment and behavioral prediction.

How FireVision Works

• Real-Time Data Fusion: We integrate multiple data streams, including NASA satellite imagery, weather forecasts, vegetation conditions, and topographic data, into a single, actionable intelligence platform.

• AI-Powered Predictions: Our proprietary Fire Potential Index (FPI) provides hourly wildfire risk forecasts up to 48 hours in advance, with 90% accuracy at 5 to 30-meter resolution.

• Advanced Simulation: Using physics-based fire simulators, FireVision predicts fire spread patterns, direction, and speed in both wildland and urban interface areas.

• Natural Language Interface: Users can query the system in plain English and receive immediate, actionable insights.

  
  

Overview of FireVision

What Makes FireVision Different: Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Focus

Unlike traditional wildfire tools that focus solely on wildland areas, FireVision is specifically engineered for the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), where homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure meet flammable vegetation. Our system maps individual building materials like roof types, analyzes defensible space around structures, and models how fires spread through the complex mix of natural fuels and human-built environments.

This WUI specialization enables FireVision to predict structure-to-structure fire spread, assess infrastructure vulnerabilities, and provide the granular intelligence that fire departments and utilities need to protect communities where people actually live and work.

What it Means for Stakeholders in the Wildfire Ecosystem

For Fire Departments & Emergency Agencies

Challenge: Making decisions with incomplete, outdated information during critical incident command operations.

Impact: FireVision dramatically accelerates situational awareness with real-time intelligence that outpaces traditional manual mapping and updates.

• Incident Action Plans (IAP): Real-time fire behavior predictions and spread modeling are directly integrated into your IAP development, enabling more accurate resource assignments and tactical objectives.

• Resource Allocation & Mutual Aid: Dynamic risk mapping helps justify mutual aid requests and optimize apparatus deployment based on predicted fire progression.

• Evacuation Zone Management: High-resolution fire spread simulations support evacuation order decisions and route planning, replacing guesswork with data-driven boundary setting.

• Pre-Fire Planning & Community Risk Assessment: Automated fuel load mapping and risk scoring enhance your Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) updates and pre-fire tactical planning.

• Integration with Fire Records Management Systems (RMS): Seamless data flow into existing CAD, GIS, and incident documentation systems.

  
  

For Electric Utilities

Challenge: Meeting regulatory wildfire mitigation requirements while preventing ignitions and managing Public Safety Power Shutoff decisions.

Impact: FireVision delivers faster asset-level risk insights than traditional GIS tools, enabling split-second decisions that reduce outage footprints.

• Wildfire Mitigation Plans (WMP): Enhanced risk modeling provides quantifiable data for annual WMP submissions to regulators, demonstrating proactive hazard identification and mitigation effectiveness.

• Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Optimization: Real-time fire weather forecasting and asset-specific risk assessment reduce unnecessary outages while ensuring customer safety during critical fire weather events.

• Vegetation Management Program Enhancement: RoI validation for fuel reduction projects using before/after risk modeling optimizes maintenance schedules and demonstrates regulatory compliance.

• Grid Hardening Investment Justification: Circuit-level vulnerability assessments support business cases for undergrounding, equipment upgrades, and pole replacements in the highest-risk areas.

• Emergency Response Coordination: Direct integration with Utility Emergency Response Plans (UERP) and coordination with fire agencies during red flag events.

  
  

For Government Agencies & Local Communities

Challenge: Developing effective Community Wildfire Protection Plans and emergency preparedness with limited technical resources.

Impact: FireVision shortens planning cycles with automated analysis that replaces weeks of manual GIS work in minutes.

• Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Development: Automated risk assessment and fuel mapping provide the technical foundation for CWPP updates, hazard identification, and mitigation project prioritization.

• Evacuation Planning & Route Optimization: Fire spread modeling supports evacuation zone mapping and route capacity analysis, enhancing Emergency Operations Plan effectiveness.

• Building Code & Planning Decisions: Parcel-level risk assessment informs defensible space requirements, building permit conditions, and development approval decisions in Wildland-Urban Interface areas.

• Grant Application Support: Quantified risk data and mitigation ROI analysis strengthen applications for FEMA Fire Management Assistance Grants, CAL FIRE grants, and federal hazard mitigation funding.

• Public Education & Outreach: Resident-facing risk dashboards and seasonal forecasts enhance community preparedness programs and evacuation compliance.

  
  

Ready to Transform Your Wildfire Response?

Whether you're a fire chief planning resource deployment, a utility manager assessing grid risks, or a city/county OES preparing evacuation routes, FireVision can transform how you understand and respond to wildfire threats.

See FireVision in Action: We're currently conducting pilot programs with fire departments, government agencies, and utilities.

Start the Conversation: Every stakeholder's wildfire challenges are unique. Let's discuss how FireVision can address your specific needs and help protect what matters most to you.

Ready to give your team the intelligence advantage they need?

Contact us at info@opal-ai.com or visit opal-ai.com/fire-vision to learn more about bringing AI-powered wildfire intelligence to your organization.

The Future of Wildfire Management

As we look ahead, the need for advanced tools like FireVision becomes increasingly clear. Wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change and urban expansion. Communities must be equipped with the best technology to mitigate these risks effectively.

The Role of AI in Wildfire Management

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing various sectors, and wildfire management is no exception. By leveraging AI, we can analyze vast amounts of data quickly and accurately. This capability allows for better predictions and more informed decision-making.

Building Resilience in Communities

Communities must not only respond to wildfires but also build resilience against them. FireVision aids in this by providing insights that help in planning and preparedness. By understanding fire behavior and risk factors, communities can implement strategies to protect lives and property.

Collaboration is Key

Effective wildfire management requires collaboration among various stakeholders. Fire departments, utilities, government agencies, and communities must work together. FireVision facilitates this collaboration by providing a common platform for data sharing and decision-making.

Conclusion

The future of wildfire management lies in our ability to harness technology. With FireVision, we are paving the way for smarter, more effective responses to wildfire threats. Together, we can protect our communities and ensure a safer future.

Join Us in This Mission: If you want to learn more about how FireVision can help your organization, reach out today. Let’s work together to transform wildfire management for the better.