10 Jul
On June 20, 2026, a lightning strike sparked the Log Jumper Fire in a remote area near Castle Rock, Colorado. The location presented significant challenge for firefighters, with no road access, no nearby water source, and severe drought conditions across Douglas County. Under those circumstances, the fire had the potential to spread rapidly.
Fortunately, Pano AI wildfire detection technology identified the smoke within minutes of ignition and pinpointed the fire’s location, allowing first responders to quickly mobilize resources. At the same time a 911 call was received, Pano AI provided additional situational awareness through visual confirmation, precise geolocation and continuous monitoring of fire activity. These capabilities helped emergency crews stop the fire’s forward progress within just a few hours and fully contain it at one acre by the following day.
A shared approach to wildfire mitigation
CORE and Xcel Energy each own one of the Pano stations that jointly detected the fire and provide access to local agencies at no cost. This shared intelligence network helps firefighters respond more effectively to emerging wildfire threats and supports efforts to protect communities, infrastructure and natural resources.
“This is a game-changer for public safety,” said Darren Weekly, Sheriff of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. “This technology enables us to get real-time information to actually see the fire, see what’s going on, and immediately start dispatching resources to put the fire out.”
Response by the numbers
- 25 minutes from initial alert to the first aerial water drop
- Four hours to stop the fire’s forward progress
- Final fire size at containment: 1 acre
- Fire located approximately 0.2 miles from power lines
- Three engines and two helicopters supported suppression efforts, delivering 9,600 gallons of water
- Seven local and federal agencies coordinated the response effort
Response timeline
- 3:46 p.m. — Pano AI alerted first responders and local utilities, coinciding with a 911 report
- 4:10 p.m. — First aerial water drop deployed by Douglas County
- 5:45 p.m. — Evacuation warning issued for a three-mile radius
- 8:00 p.m. — Crews stopped all forward progress and the evacuation warning was lifted
- Next day — Fire reached 100% containment at one acre
The Log Jumper Fire ignited where wildfires are hardest to fight — remote, steep terrain with no road access, amid severe drought. Yet it was held to a single acre by a fast, coordinated attack. The difference wasn’t any single entity, but utilities, emergency managers, firefighters, and technology coming together to share one real-time picture. That is how early awareness and tight coordination keeps fires small, even in the conditions that make containment hardest.
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