By the FL Innovation News editorial team · Startup
As wildfires grow more intense and unpredictable across the country, two companies, including one based in Florida, are changing how first responders stay ahead of the flames.
Tampa-based climate intelligence startup SkyTL has partnered with Utah-based Trident Sensing to launch what they call the first real-time wildfire forecasting system powered by live airborne infrared imagery. The technology enables fire behavior forecasts to update while aircraft are still in the air, a capability that could redefine how emergency crews fight fast-moving blazes.
The partnership combines SkyTL’s predictive wildfire modeling engine, WindTL, with Trident Sensing’s rapid aerial sensing platform. During the recent Turner Gulch Fire, the integrated system delivered real-time updates on fire spread and ember movement, helping crews make life-saving decisions while the fire was still active.
“This partnership changes the timeline of decision-making in wildfire response,” said Steve Pollard, CEO of Trident Sensing. “We’re proud to introduce the TACFI-RS sensing platform that makes live prediction possible, helping firefighters stay ahead of rapidly evolving threats.”
WindTL uses terrain, wind, and fuel data to forecast fire spread and ember activity hours in advance. But until now, it relied on sparse satellite data and delayed post-flight uploads. Trident’s real-time feed, combined with WindTL capabilities to ingest dynamic data, bypasses that bottleneck. Instead of waiting hours for post-flight analysis, emergency teams get predictive insights while suppression efforts are still underway.
“This is a major step forward in how we manage wildfires,” said Rocio Frej Vitalle, CEO and founder of SkyTL. “Until now, fire simulations have been mainly used for documenting decisions. By combining Trident Sensing’s live airborne imaging with our dynamic simulation tool, we are giving responders something they’ve never had before, real-time forecasts that can inform the very time critical decisions they are facing during a fire. This partnership moves wildfire response from reactive to anticipatory, helping crews stay one step ahead when every second counts.”
SkyTL’s technology has already proven its potential. It was deployed during the Monroe Canyon and Deer Creek Fires, in addition to Turner Gulch. Even without timely ground data, WindTL successfully predicted fire escapes and ember spotting events.
Now, with the addition of Trident Sensing’s live aerial streaming, SkyTL is helping emergency agencies shift from outdated mapping tools to real-time, data-driven action plans. The collaboration signals a new frontier in disaster technology, where intelligence does not just record the past but predicts the future.
With climate change fueling longer and more destructive fire seasons, the two companies plan to scale their solution nationwide, giving first responders the predictive edge they need to act on what a fire is about to do, not just what it has already done.
