As wildfires worsen, firefighters go high-tech to stay healthy

A Prometeo monitoring device (by IBM) is worn by a firefighter during prescribed burn of the forest in Olivella, south of Barcelona, Spain. — Photos: Reuters

OLIVELLA, Spain: As flames and smoke from burning bushes billowed towards them, Catalan firefighters calmly controlled the progress of a planned fire on a forested hillside – an exercise aimed at reducing the danger of blazes breaking out later in the summer heat.

Prescribed forest burns like this, which thin out flammable undergrowth, are a well-known way of lowering wildfire risks, which are rising as the Earth's climate heats up.