SAN DIEGO _ On Friday California Gov. Gavin Newsom visited the Near Future Conference in La Jolla and announced the state was partnering with X Prize to find technology that focuses on detecting fires in their infancy, along with suppression strategies.
Newsom shared the stage with X Prize founder Peter Diamandis. X Prize will develop the prize for the program and likely launch the competition in about 100 days.
The competition will be privately funded.
"The future happens here first," Newsom said, praising the state for being at the forefront of progress. "California is America's coming attraction in every way shape or form."
In his address the governor complimented the work of firefighters and mutual aid providers. However, he said, it is difficult to describe just how "antiquated" the state's fire response has been.
"The first responders do an extraordinary job and the mutual aid ... is second to none," Newsom said. "But we shouldn't only be celebrating that heroism on the back end; we should celebrate ingenuity and heroism on the front end."
The governor also highlighted the damages caused by wildfires over the past several years, including how fires over the past 24 months have caused 139 deaths and billions of dollars in damage. He cautioned that another ominous fire season was on the horizon, given the increased rain.
