LoRaWAN Wildfire System Architecture:Benefits and Challenges

Introduction : Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change, posing a serious threat to forests, communities and ecosystems. To tackle this challenge, innovative technologies are being deployed for early detection and prevention. One such solution is a LoRaWAN-based wildfire detection system. This system integrates low power sensors and long range wireless communication to enable scalable and cost effective forest monitoring.

LoRaWAN Wildfire System

The architecture of LoRaWAN based wildfire detection system consists of LoRaWAN sensor nodes installed on the trees. These nodes either directly communicate to satellite or via LoRaWAN gateway. The cloud based internet database can be interfaced either via VSAT Ground Station Terminal or LoRaWAN Gateway. The figure-1 depicts wildfire monitoring system powered by LoRaWAN technology.

Sensor Nodes : Equipped with gas sensors (H₂, CO, CO₂), temperature, humidity and barometric pressure sensors. Now-a-days these sensors are integrated with AI based processing for anomaly detection. Though LoRaWAN offers long battery life due to its low power consumption, these nodes are powered by solar cells for long term deployment in remote areas.

LoRaWAN Gateways : Act as intermediaries between sensor nodes and the cloud. It supports multi-hop mesh networking to extend communication range up to 12 km. These gateways are also solar powered and weather resistant for their installation in forest environments.

Backhaul Border Gateway : Connects the LoRaWAN network to the internet via LTE, satellite or Ethernet.It routes sensor data to the cloud in near real time.

Cloud Platform : Centralized platform for data collection, analytics, alerting and visualization. The web app and mobile app are developed as per user requirements.

Figure-1: LoRaWAN WildFire Monitoring System Architecture

Working of LoRaWAN Fire detection System

The wildfire detection system works in the following manner:

Step-1 : Sensor nodes constantly monitor environmental parameters, especially looking for early indicators like hydrogen or carbon monoxide levels from smoldering.

Step-2 : Onboard AI detects anomalies such as early stage combustion signs, triggering immediate alerts.

Step-3 : Detected anomalies are transmitted via LoRaWAN from sensor nodes to mesh gateways, then to the border gateway and finally to the cloud. Collected anomalies can also be transmitted directly to the satellite if LoRa payload is supported by the satellite and respective satellite bands are available with installed sensor nodes or devices on the trees.

Step-4 : The cloud platform processes the data, verifies it using analytics, and issues alerts via SMS, email or API integrations.

Step-5 : Authorities are notified within minutes to initiate firefighting or evacuation efforts.

Figure-2: LoRaWAN Satellite IoT OEM Module

The EM2050 module developed by ECHOSTAR support both direct and indirect connectivity. In direct mode, installed ensors can relay data directly to LoRa compatible satellite. In indirect mode, installed sensors relay data to the gateway. The aggregated data are provided to the satellite modem and relayed to the traditional old satellites as per frequency bands supported.

EM2050 module uses Semtech LR1120 chipset internally in its design. EM2050 supports Licensed S‑band (2 GHz). It supports 1980 to 2010 MHz in the uplink and 2170 to 2200 MHz in the downlink direction. It also supports terrestrial sub‑GHz ISM bands such as EU 868 MHz or US 915 MHz. This ECHOSTAR module enables seamless switching between satellite and terrestrial LoRa based networks.

Advantages of LoRaWAN Wildfire Detection System

Following are some of the benefits of LoRaWAN fire detection system.

1. Sensors detect fire in the smoldering phase (0.1 to 1 meters radius) before flames spread.
2. LoRaWAN enables coverage across thousands of square kilometers.
3. Solar powered operation supports multi year deployments without battery changes.
4. Lower deployment and maintenance costs than camera or satellite based systems.
5. Works in areas without cellular networks, using satellite backhaul if needed.
6. Immediate notifications to fire departments and government agencies help reduce response times drastically which saves lives.

Implementation Challenges

Following challenges are to be considered for LoRaWAN based wildfire detection system.

1. Gas sensors may require periodic calibration to avoid drift or false positives.
2. Forest canopies can reduce signal strength. Hence strategic gateway placement is required.
3. In deep rural areas, satellite backhaul may introduce slight latency.
4. Sensors must be designed to withstand damage from animals or weather.
5. Although cheaper than alternatives, initial infrastructure setup may be a barrier for developing countries.

Conclusion: LoRaWAN-based wildfire detection systems represent a breakthrough in forest protection. By combining low power sensors, AI processing and long range communication, they offer early detection and timely alerts for wildfire prevention. While challenges like calibration and canopy interference remain, the benefits far outweigh the limitations, making it a promising technology for governments, environmental agencies and forest owners worldwide.