– PG&E is using satellite data from Planet Lab to identify hazardous trees and reduce wildfire risk
– The company has a year-long contract for weekly ‘basemaps’ to analyze vegetation data and prioritize mitigation efforts
– PG&E has seen a 72% reduction in ignitions in high fire risk areas with the use of satellite data
California IOU Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is utilizing satellite data to identify hazardous trees and reduce wildfire risk within its vegetation management activities. The company has partnered with Planet Lab to leverage satellite-derived data on vegetation characteristics such as canopy height, cover, and proximity to electricity infrastructure to prioritize mitigation efforts.
Under a year-long contract with Planet Lab, PG&E will have access to weekly ‘basemaps’ – current analysis-ready broad area mosaics, to supplement the existing vegetation data being used for risk assessment. PG&E’s senior director for Wildfire Preparedness and Operations, Andy Abranches, highlights the importance of Planet’s tree data in analyzing conditions and changes across the service area.
PG&E is incorporating data on potential powerline strike trees into its vegetation management risk modeling, while also exploring machine learning-based tree species identification and detecting models for dead or dying trees. By combining Planet’s ‘Planetary Variable’ vegetation encroachment data with other sources, PG&E can assess areas with high vegetation-driven outage and ignition risks, optimizing field workers’ management strategies.
Through the utilization of satellite data, PG&E has seen a 72% reduction in ignitions in high fire-risk areas in 2023 compared to the three-year average across its extensive 181,000km2 service area. This collaboration showcases the potential of satellite technology and data analysis in improving wildfire prevention and mitigation efforts.