UCSD - University of California - San Diego

07/06/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/06/2026 09:09

Google.org Supports the Societal Computing and Innovation Lab to Accelerate AI Wildfire Solutions

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Published Date

July 06, 2026

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Key Takeaways

  • New funding will help the wildfire community collaborate on technologies that use shared data, models and AI approaches.
  • The first focus is supporting digital twins - virtual environments where responders can test new technologies and strategies for wildfire.

Funding of $1.8 million from Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org, will help support the University of California San Diego's Societal Computing and Innovation Lab (SCIL) and its Wildfire Science and Technology Commons, a collaborative platform designed to accelerate the development of wildfire technology.

A research lab in the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), part of the Halıcıoğlu School of Data Science and Computing, SCIL uses advanced computing, artificial intelligence and integrated workflows to develop technological solutions for a variety of societal challenges. The lab has a core strength in wildfire, with over a decade of experience developing fire modeling tools that play a critical role in initial attack planning for wildfire suppression and in the strategic use of prescribed fire to enhance ecosystem resilience.

In 2024, SCIL leveraged its expertise and partnerships to create the Wildfire Science and Technology Commons, a virtual platform that allows a broad community of researchers, technologists and fire practitioners to share data, collaboratively build and test solutions, and discover new technologies.

With this funding, SCIL and the Wildfire Commons will work closely with Google.org's AI Collaborative: Wildfires (AIC:W), which brings together multiple organizations to help people and communities better manage fires by using AI.

Fighting Fire through Digital Twins

One of SCIL's areas of focus is the development of digital twins for complex natural systems. In the context of wildfire, these systems function as virtual representations of real-world landscapes that allow emergency responders and land managers to simulate scenarios before disasters occur.

Wildfire research and operations are often limited by the inability to test strategies without active fire conditions. Digital twins address this constraint by providing persistent, data-driven environments where models, tools, and decision-support systems can be evaluated under realistic but controlled conditions. This enables researchers and practitioners to explore interventions across the full wildfire lifecycle-from risk reduction to event response.

"Digital twins are a powerful way to understand wildfire dynamics," said SCIL Director Ilkay Altintas. "When data and models can be run in a virtual space that mirrors real life, people can make better decisions - whether that's planning a prescribed burn or responding to an active incident."

These digital twins of real forests are created by stitching together many 360° LiDAR scans that capture actual vegetation and surface fuels. Image Credit: Societal Computing and Innovation Lab

Jumpstarting a Digital Twin Framework

In March, SCIL convened more than 30 members of the Wildfire Commons community at Google headquarters for a two-day workshop to identify the highest-impact opportunities for digital twins in wildfire. The workshop followed the convergence research approach of SCIL's CORE Institute, leading exercises to identify the use cases, challenges and necessities to consider in laying a foundation for building digital twins.

"CORE Institute workshops are designed to bring diverse stakeholders together to align on complex challenges and co-create solutions," said Melissa Floca, chief innovation officer for SCIL. "Here, that meant identifying enabling infrastructure to make digital twins a practical and trusted tool for wildfire management."

Societal Computing and Innovation Lab Director Ilkay Altintas leads the Digital Twin Workshop at Google Headquarters. Image Credit: Societal Computing and Innovation Lab

Participants surfaced key barriers, including fragmented data systems, limited interoperability across models and the need to build trust in AI-driven decision tools. They also identified high-value applications that span the full lifecycle of wildfire, from training and preparedness to response and post-fire recovery.

Insights from the workshop will inform the development of a federated, open digital twin framework and reusable innovation templates that enable collaboration across institutions and support a growing ecosystem of tools and applications that leverage digital twin technology.

"Right now, wildfire data and models are trapped in silos, creating a bottleneck that keeps us from utilizing AI where it's needed most," said Google.org's Sustainability Lead, Brian Juhyuk Lee. "Through the Wildfire Science and Technology Commons, SCIL is changing that. We're building a shared digital home for this data, ensuring that cutting-edge research doesn't just stay in the lab but reaches the firefighters and land managers on the front lines, helping them protect communities faster and more effectively. This is how we move from theory to true wildfire resilience."

Altintas recapped the three key priorities workshop members decided upon for effectively deploying digital twin capabilities: "The infrastructure must connect the core components of the fire environment - fuels, topography and weather; it must be accessible to the fire management community; and it must build upon existing knowledge and systems rather than reinvent them. These elements will allow digital twins to scale."

Ongoing Collaboration for Wildfire Solutions

The workshop also marked the creation of a digital twin case study community within the Wildfire Commons that will convene quarterly to guide infrastructure development. Case study communities advance their own missions while shaping the evolution of the Wildfire Commons.

"Case study communities are how the Wildfire Commons ensures its platform capabilities translate into real-world impact," said Claire Stirm, project manager for the Wildfire Commons. "By bringing together different community perspectives, we can think collaboratively about everything that is possible for digital twins as part of an integrated ecosystem of technologies."

"At SCIL, we have turned use-inspired research into tools that serve practitioners regularly in fire operations, and digital twins have the same potential to transform how we understand and manage wildfire. This support from Google.org helps us move that vision into practice through a collaborative community working together on the Wildfire Commons," said Altintas.

Learn more about research and education at UC San Diego in: Artificial Intelligence

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Public Response

"I applaud Google.org for its large contribution to UC San Diego's Societal Computing and Innovation Lab to help it harness the power of AI and find new and better solutions for reducing the threat of wildfire. Private-public collaborations like this are crucial for maximizing the potential of what technology can do and fueling California's world-leading innovation economy. This contribution will help California remain at the cutting-edge of wildfire management and disaster preparedness."

- California State Senator Catherine S. Blakespear

"It's collaborations like this that bring out the best in California. Innovation solves our hardest problems and protects our communities. I look forward to Google.org and the Societal Computing and Innovation Lab's efforts to keep Californians safe and ensure that California leads in utilizing groundbreaking technologies to address one of the state's biggest and deadliest issues."

- California State Assemblymember Tasha Boerner

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