PG&E Participates in First-Ever Autonomous Wildfire Suppression Demonstration in California

Rhea-AI Summary

PG&E (PCG) participated in California's first autonomous wildfire suppression demonstration, featuring a Black Hawk® helicopter equipped with Lockheed Martin and Rain autonomy systems. The demonstration, held in the Silverwood region, showcased the helicopter's ability to autonomously track fires, collect water, and extinguish ignitions using tablet control.

The company is involved in a research project through the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program, exploring drone-enabled and autonomous wildfire suppression technologies. PG&E is also a Co-Title sponsor of the XPRIZE Wildfire competition, an $11 million initiative spanning four years to develop autonomous fire detection and suppression capabilities. The competition includes two tracks: Autonomous Wildfire Response and Space-Based Wildfire Detection & Intelligence.

Positive

• PG&E is actively investing in innovative wildfire prevention technology
• Partnership with leading technology companies (Lockheed Martin, Rain) demonstrates commitment to modernization
• Company's involvement in $11M XPRIZE Wildfire competition shows dedication to developing cutting-edge solutions

Negative

• Current wildfire suppression systems still require development and testing before implementation
• Significant investment in new technology may impact operational costs

Insights

Utility Industry Analyst

PG&E's participation in autonomous wildfire suppression testing shows forward-thinking risk management without immediate financial impact.

This demonstration of Black Hawk® helicopters equipped with autonomous firefighting systems represents an innovative approach to PG&E's existential wildfire risk challenge. The technology—which pulls water and extinguishes fires via tablet control—could potentially reduce critical response times to wildfire ignitions, addressing one of the utility's most significant business vulnerabilities.

While the press release positions PG&E at the forefront of wildfire technology innovation, this remains firmly in the demonstration and R&D phase. PG&E's dual involvement through their Electric Program Investment Charge program and as co-sponsor of the $11 million XPRIZE Wildfire competition shows strategic commitment to next-generation solutions but doesn't alter near-term operations.

The most concrete pathway to implementation comes from SVP Mark Quinlan's statement about eventually equipping PG&E's existing helicopter fleet (currently loaned to CAL FIRE) with this autonomous capability. However, no timeline, cost projections, or regulatory approval status is mentioned.

This initiative fits logically within PG&E's multi-layered approach to wildfire risk mitigation, potentially complementing their undergrounding efforts, enhanced vegetation management, and monitoring systems. For a utility that declared bankruptcy in 2019 largely due to wildfire liabilities, every additional layer of protection carries strategic significance.

The multi-stakeholder nature of the demonstration—involving fire professionals, government officials, philanthropy, and insurance providers—suggests this represents a collaborative industry exploration rather than a PG&E-exclusive capability or immediate competitive advantage.

HESPERIA, Calif., May 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Gas and Electric Company recently joined elite fire professionals, top state and federal officials, and senior leaders representing philanthropy, insurance providers, and other electric utilities for the first-ever autonomous wildfire suppression demonstration in California.

Organized by Rain and Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, the demonstration took place in in the Silverwood region of the Mojave River Valley nestled next to the San Bernardino National Forest. The demo featured a Black Hawk® helicopter equipped with autonomy systems from Lockheed Martin and Rain tracking and engaging multiple fires across the site, pulling water from dip tanks and extinguishing ignitions – all controlled via tablet.

PG&E leaders and a PG&E safety infrastructure protection team (SIPT) attended the demonstration.

"At PG&E, we are committed to ending catastrophic wildfires, and we have implemented several layers of protection and mitigation initiatives that have significantly reduced ignitions, but we know there's more to do and we recognize the need to develop the technology of tomorrow that will help keep California safe as our climate challenges evolve," said Mark Quinlan, senior vice president of Wildfire, Emergency, and Operations at PG&E. "To that end, we continue to work closely with innovators and changemakers like Rain and Lockheed Martin to adapt and adopt innovative tools and technologies to keep our customers and hometowns safe. I envision a day in the near future in which PG&E's fleet of Sikorsky helicopters, which we loan to CAL FIRE and counties in our service area, being equipped with this autonomous capability."

Alameda-based Rain is a participant in a PG&E research and development project administered through the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program, which is exploring how drone-enabled and autonomous wildfire suppression technologies can reduce response times, reduce risk of ignitions becoming catastrophic wildfires, and reduce operating costs for field crews.

Rain is also a participant in the XPRIZE Wildfire competition, of which PG&E is the Co-Title sponsor alongside the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Presenting Sponsor Minderoo Foundation, Bonus Prize Sponsor Lockheed Martin and Supporting Sponsors Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and benefactors Nichola Eliovits and Michael Antonov.

XPRIZE Wildfire is a four-year, $11 million competition to develop and demonstrate fully autonomous capabilities to detect and extinguish wildfires. XPRIZE Wildfire includes two complementary tracks designed to transform how fires are detected, managed and suppressed:

• In the Autonomous Wildfire Response track, teams will need to monitor at least 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) and autonomously suppress a wildfire within 10 minutes of detection.
• In the Space-Based Wildfire Detection & Intelligence track, teams will have one minute to accurately detect all fires across a landscape larger than entire states or countries, and 10 minutes to precisely characterize and report data with the least false positives to two ground stations. 

In addition to Rain, through the EPIC project, on separate occasions PG&E will demonstrate and evaluate the viability of other autonomous wildfire suppression technologies in various operating environments.

For more information about PG&E's R&D efforts visit www.pge.com/innovation.

About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than sixteen million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news  

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SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company

FAQ

What autonomous wildfire suppression technology did PG&E (PCG) demonstrate in California?

PG&E demonstrated a Black Hawk helicopter equipped with Lockheed Martin and Rain autonomy systems that can autonomously track fires, collect water from dip tanks, and extinguish ignitions using tablet control.

What is PG&E's involvement in the XPRIZE Wildfire competition?

PG&E is a Co-Title sponsor of the $11 million XPRIZE Wildfire competition alongside the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, supporting the development of autonomous wildfire detection and suppression capabilities.

What are the two tracks in the XPRIZE Wildfire competition sponsored by PG&E?

The competition includes the Autonomous Wildfire Response track for monitoring and suppressing fires within 10 minutes, and the Space-Based Wildfire Detection & Intelligence track for rapid fire detection and reporting across large areas.

How is PG&E implementing autonomous wildfire suppression technology in their operations?

PG&E is evaluating various autonomous wildfire suppression technologies through the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program and plans to potentially equip their Sikorsky helicopter fleet with autonomous capabilities in the future.