Many of the nations forests are in danger from fires, especially in a season of drought. Fire watcher towers are manned by lonely observers during the most dangerous times but it might be possible to supplement their efforts with revolving infra-red dishes in the manner of radar antennas. The electronic components could be powered by solar power supplemented by gasoline generators in cloudy times. The readouts could be relayed by radio or landlines to watch centers that could pinpoint fires by triangulation from two observation points.
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Cost factor. How about adding a sprinkler syst ... naa, never mind.
Considering the cost of not catching a fire before it destroys forests and communities and lives, a safety system that could quash fires quickly before they become uncontrollable seems a reasonable expense.
A further variation has occured to me. Almost every room of every apartment has a smoke detector attached to the ceiling so the product is mass produced and inexpensive. Standard circuits could be attached to the detector to make it broadcast a warning radio signal on a special frequency so that a radio locator could detect the signal. Power could be supplied by a solar powered rechargeable battery. These units could be cheap and small enough to drop onto forested areas in large quantities to catch onto tree branches and remain as permanant sentinals for fire.
Better yet, have a satellite monitor infrared emissions from areas of concern. Automate notification of emergency response teams.
They've been doing this for decades. About twenty years ago, my two uncles were "burning off" a field- which used to be a common practice, up into the 1960s- apparently, they set off every infrared sensor within 100 miles. Most of those old fire towers have now been abandoned, and condemned as unsafe.