Wildfires, floods, heat waves—climate change isn’t coming, it’s here. And it’s getting worse. In the U.S. alone, there were over 7.6 million acres burned by wildfires in 2022. That’s about the size of Massachusetts. These fires don’t just destroy forests. They shut down power grids, force evacuations, and put lives at risk.
Governments are trying to catch up. Companies are building tools. But something’s missing: they’re not working together enough. The gap between public and private sectors is slowing down real solutions.
Why the Divide Exists
Public agencies have the data. They know where the danger zones are. They run the infrastructure—grids, roads, water systems. But they’re often stuck with outdated systems, long procurement cycles, and tight budgets.
Private companies move fast. They build new tech, analyse risk models, and create smart tools for tracking and managing threats. But they don’t always understand how public agencies operate. Their tools can miss the mark, or take too long to integrate.
So instead of solving the climate crisis together, these groups are often working in parallel. That doesn’t help anyone.
Epik Solutions Shows What’s Possible
Epik Solutions worked with major utility companies on wildfire risk. Their job wasn’t to build something brand new. It was to take what was already there—layers of scattered data—and make it usable.
“We walked in and asked, ‘Where is the data that nobody’s using?’” said the co-founder. “The answer was—everywhere. They had it in spreadsheets, in legacy apps, in GIS systems. We connected it.”
Instead of replacing platforms, they built connectors. They created a way to view all the information in one place. Crews could see which areas were at risk, where vegetation had grown too thick, and when to act. The result? Faster decisions. Safer outcomes.
Why This Model Works
This kind of partnership works because it’s not about selling the latest gadget. It’s about solving a clear problem with the tools already on hand. Public agencies don’t always need a whole new system. They need something that helps them use what they already have.
Private companies like Epik Solutions bring speed, focus, and technical skill. Public agencies bring context, responsibility, and boots on the ground. When those two worlds work together, real change happens.
What We’re Up Against
The stakes are high. The average wildfire season is now 76 days longer than it was in the 1970s. The cost of climate disasters in the U.S. hit $165 billion in 2022, according to NOAA. And many areas still lack real-time risk tracking or cross-agency tools.
Data is often siloed. One agency doesn’t know what the other has. Even within a single utility, different teams may be working from different maps or versions of risk assessments.
This isn’t just inefficient—it’s dangerous.
Where We Can Go From Here
Table of Contents
1. Build Simple Connectors
Don’t aim for massive overhauls. Create low-cost, fast-to-deploy connectors that link old systems to new interfaces. Focus on mapping, real-time alerts, and dashboards people can actually use.
2. Prioritise Interoperability
If a fire department, utility company, and city planning office can’t share data in real time, something’s broken. We need platforms that talk to each other, regardless of who made them.
3. Create Shared Risk Maps
Public and private groups should co-develop risk maps that update in real time. These should include satellite data, weather conditions, vegetation growth, and human activity zones.
4. Offer Public-Facing Dashboards
The public has a role to play, too. People need to know if their home is in a risk zone. A clear, simple dashboard can help people make safer choices—like clearing brush or preparing for evacuation.
5. Involve Field Crews Early
Don’t wait until a platform is built to bring in the end users. Crews, analysts, and responders should help shape the tools they’ll rely on. This ensures the tech fits real-world conditions.
What Individuals Can Do
You don’t need to be a tech firm to help close the gap. Start local.
- Join or support your community’s fire safe council or climate action group.
- Talk to your utility provider. Ask what data is shared with first responders.
- If you’re in tech, volunteer your skills to help municipalities upgrade systems.
- Encourage open data policies so public data is easier for private partners to use.
- Push for your workplace to participate in climate risk planning and drills.
Conclusion
Climate change moves fast. Our systems don’t. That’s a problem.
Bridging the public–private divide isn’t about waiting for perfect solutions. It’s about using what we have, better. It’s about combining speed with responsibility.
Epik Solutions didn’t reinvent wildfire tech. They looked at what was already in place and made it work harder. That’s the lesson: we don’t always need more. We need smarter.
If we want real resilience, we need to stop building in silos and start building together. Let’s connect the systems, connect the people, and stay ahead of the fire.