THE NEED FOR EFFECTIVE EARLY FIRE DETECTION
Fire is one of the biggest threats to forestry globally, accounting for millions of Rands worth of damage each year. Historically, manned lookout towers are used to detect fires, but human error and inaccurate pinpointing makes this method in effective. Using technology for early, effective and accurate detection is therefore vital.
FIREHAWK IS THE SOLUTION
The very first Computer Assisted Fire Detection System established in 1994 - 31 years ago. The FireHawk system uses 360 degree rotating highdefinition digital cameras monitoring large forestry areas and transmit information to a base station.
FIGHTING FIRE
WITH TECHNOLOGY
MISSION STATEMENT
To Detect, Position and Report fires to members within the shortest possible time to allow members to combat fires while they are still manageable. At all times, the company makes use of the most up to date equipment and technology, whilst remaining affordable and simple to use.
THE NEED FOR EFFECTIVE EARLY FIRE DETECTION
Technology plays a vital role in all spheres of forestry today, ranging from silviculture to harvesting. Forestry companies have advanced methods to combat fires, including welltrained ground crews, and sophisticated foam and retardant, all backed by aerial support from air tankers, spotter planes and helicopters. In certain countries smokejumpers are still used with success. Even with all these systems in place, thousands of valuable hectares of forestry are lost to fire each year.
The major contributing factor for this loss is the delayed detection of fires. Ground crews and aerial support teams are more likely to be able to manage and extinguish a fire if they reach it at a very early stage, before it becomes uncontrollable.
Manned lookout towers are historically used for fire detection but can be ineffective due to human error, resulting in delayed reporting and inaccurate pin-pointing of the location of fires. Yet this antiquated method is still used in many parts of the world and millions of dollars are spent annually in the combat of fires.
What is needed is an effective, technology powered early fire detection system – FireHawk is the solution. The FireHawk system was develop and is operationalized by Alasia Marketing (Pty) Ltd
ACTUAL FIRE DETECTION EVENT AND RESPONSE ON FIREHAWK SYSTEM
HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS
The FireHawk system uses 360 degrees rotating high definition digital cameras to monitor areas and transmits information to a base station that is manned by operators. The software differentiates between fire, smoke and glow, and then raises an alarm. Positioning is done from a single camera, with the ability to cross reference for improved accuracy.
WHERE WE OPERATE
SOUTH AMERICA
CHILE
Since 2017 the FireHawk detection system has been operational in the central and southern regions of Chile, monitoring approximately 650 000ha of timber plantations.
BRAZIL
The FireHawk detection system was launch in Brazil in 2016, monitoring approximately 155 000ha of timber in the Mato Grosso do Sul and Minas Gerais provinces of Brazil.
AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICA
FireHawk’s first detection system, launched in 1994, now monitors approximately 591000 hectares. The system covers areas of timber plantations in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces. Approximate areas monitored per region:
- Zululand Coastal (KZN): 90000ha
- Zululand Inland (KZN): 45000ha
- Midlands (KZN): 220000ha
- North-Eastern Cape (EC): 30000ha
- Highveld (Mpumalanga): 130000ha
- Piet Retief (Mpumalanga): 76000ha
MALAWI
Approximately 4000ha of sugarcane plantations in the Nchalu area of Southern Malawi are protected by the FireHawk detection system, which was launched in 2015.
GHANA
Burmese Teak plantations in Ashanti Region of southern Ghana have been protected by the FireHawk system since 2017, monitoring approximately 6000ha of plantations.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
After 16 years of Aerial Spraying and Aerial Fire Fighting, Jake Oosthuizen formed Zululand Fire Protection Services cc. (ZFPS) in 1994 with the object of providing a service to the Zululand timber industry. Initially, the operation was started by taking over the control center of the Zululand Fire Protection Association (ZFPA), which coordinated all Fire Fighting operations in the Zululand Coastal Area (approximately 80 000 hectares of Timber). At that time, the Control Centre was very low profile and provided a basic communication service to the timber growers in the area. Over time, the Control Centre became the heart of all firefighting operations in Zululand. ZFPS expanded to include the management of ZIFPA.
In 1994, ZFPS became involved in digital fire detection and formed a company called Alasia Marketing cc. This Company was instrumental in the development of the FireHawk system that is today used in South Africa, Chile, Brazil, Malawi and Ghana. FireHawk was the first computerized fire detection system in the world and has been operating commercially for the past 26 years. The first system was installed in Richmond in 1994 and is still operational today.
FIREHAWK PROMOTION VIDEO PRODUCED IN 1994
SUCCESS OF THE SYSTEM
Trials and tests conducted in the early days of FireHawk proved, that no person sitting in a lookout tower would continuously look behind themselves, and within a very short period of time became tired of constantly turning around. Falling asleep was also a major problem. Now, by utilizing FireHawk, you have available a piece of technology which turns a full 360 degrees every 3 minutes and, images the area under surveillance. FireHawk also monitors Operator input and informs management should Operators breach any system protocols.
During the early days of FireHawk, three Commercial Timber Companies were compared. A and B were protected by FireHawk, while Company C was not. The average fire size of Company A and B was 1.49ha, which is a remarkable difference of 4ha to that of Company C. Needless to say, Company C is now also protected.
