“It’s essential to detect wildfires early. Every second counts!”
Christoph Vieregge is an expert on fire alarm systems at Bosch Energy and Building Solutions who also serves as a voluntary firefighter outside work. He contributed his considerable experience to help develop the innovative Wildfire Detection service for fighting forest fires. Because he knows that in an emergency, every second counts for protecting people, animals and the environment.
Acrid smoke lingers in the air. Christoph Vieregge is standing at the edge of a fallow field on which fire is still glowing. He takes off his protective goggles and smiles. A wildfire has just been simulated in a demonstration, and the Wildfire Detection solution from Bosch has quickly located its source. Christoph Vieregge is an expert at Bosch Energy and Building Solutions who has specialized in alarm systems for the early detection of wildfires. He carried out the demonstration of the innovative wildfire detection system, which uses artificial intelligence. He is accustomed to wearing a fire suit, including a protective jacket, helmet and goggles – which comes as no surprise considering that he has served as a voluntary firefighter since he was 14. This explains why fire protection is so close to his heart. And he also knows how to communicate it. As a regional portfolio manager, he helps colleagues in sales answer questions about complex fire solutions. He is also a member of a team that develops solutions like this one for early-stage detection of wildfires.
He travels to customers several times a month with his team leader Heiko Schwichtenberg and his colleague Frank Richter. They also travel to trade fairs to present the Bosch service. “One of our slogans is ‘time is everything.’ There’s no need for us to explain to forest owners or fire departments why fire protection is important – they already know that. What we do is show them how we proceed, which is usually new to them. Our complete solution is so innovative that our contacts are often quite impressed,” reports Christoph Vieregge. The target group includes not only fire departments but also representatives of cities, districts, private forest and woodland owners and customers in industry.
Our service helps detect wildfires quickly and reliably in any weather. This enables the fire department to take action faster and more effectively.
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Detection of smoke and gas and precise localization enable firefighters to arrive faster
Sunny weather and dryness are increasing the risk of forest fires, also in Germany. According to statistics compiled by the German Agricultural Information Center, in 2023 1,059 fires destroyed about 1,240 hectares of forest in that country. In many cases, carelessness is to blame. Conflagrations not only destroy trees and endanger people and animals but also release fine dust, dioxins and carbon dioxide, among other emissions.
Time is of the essence, because many wildfires go undetected for quite a while. Bosch Energy and Building Solutions has therefore created an innovative overall solution that combines three powerful solutions: AI-based video analysis for detecting fires, Silvanet wildfire sensors for sensing fire-associated gases, and video surveillance by drones. “We developed our Wildfire Detection service as a highly effective way to spot incipient wildfires. Now the staff of the fire department control center get important information for combatting them faster than used to be possible,” explains Christoph Vieregge. Highly sensitive solar-powered sensors attached to the trees in the forest, for example, use artificial intelligence to measure gases, temperatures, moisture and air pressure. Intelligent video cameras monitor large areas of forest. And video drones help verify fire risks and support firefighters’ work in real time. Fire departments can use a cloud-based portal to view all of the captured data. “This service enables extremely fast detection of wildfires in any weather,” says Christoph Vieregge. “As a result, those in charge can accurately assess how much equipment and personnel are needed on the ground and identify any obstacles along the path to the fire.”
The developers’ broad experience was the basis for creating the Wildfire Detection solution
Christoph Vieregge played a major role in developing the solution. He contributed his many years of experience as a technician and sales representative for fire alarm systems at Bosch, as well as expertise acquired while serving as a volunteer firefighter. “I’m familiar with the challenges faced by colleagues in the fire department control center. And one vital piece of information that’s often missing is a forest fire’s precise location. There aren’t any road signs out there and only poor mobile reception. But we’ve found solutions for all of these things,” he explains.
He regards it as one of Bosch’s strengths that solutions are developed by staff who are fully committed to and passionate about what they do. During the two decades that Christoph Vieregge has worked at Bosch Energy and Building Solutions, there has been a steady stream of opportunities for him to learn and develop his capabilities further. He assembled a network of colleagues who bounce ideas off one another while hunting for new solutions. “In my current position as an expert on fire alarm systems for wildfire detection, I benefit from experience and knowledge gained in other roles and from my network of contacts at Bosch. We don’t just complement but also challenge one another to pursue unusual and creative ideas,” he says.
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Solutions for challenges: Christoph Vieregge knows exactly what is important when fighting wildfires thanks to his involvement with the volunteer fire department -
Time is everything! The Wildfire Detection solution enables the fire department to respond more quickly and efficiently -
The drone is ready for use at the location of the respective fire department customer within a few seconds and is also maintained on site by Bosch technicians -
New companion in the fight against wildfires: Aerial support can significantly reduce some risk factors
His current team leader, Heiko Schwichtenberg, put him and Frank Richter on the development team despite the fact that Christoph Vieregge is not actually a product developer. But he brought along ideas from the field of building automation that helped the trio develop the service. Frank Richter, for his part, contributed his deep technical knowledge. And the effort was supported by Christoph Vieregge’s eagerness to tackle challenges. “If a customer has a problem that at first glance seems to be impossible to solve, I keep kicking around one idea after another until one of them finally lands in the goal.” Experience with and information on various aspects of building technology converged in the project, giving rise to the idea of not just looking at forests from a bird’s-eye perspective but also using sensors to plunge right into them.
Greater value for customers thanks to a live on-site presentation of the service in a forest
Christoph Vieregge is fascinating to listen to when he talks about his work. He vividly explains the solutions and their possibilities. “Being part of the wildfire detection development team was an important learning process for me,” he says. “It let me experience first-hand how development processes work at Bosch. Their precision fascinated me. And being involved in creating a new service, from the idea all the way to market maturity, feels great. More than anything else, I’m inspired by the feedback that users provide on the service.” The native of the northwestern German region of Westphalia especially enjoys accompanying Heiko Schwichtenberg and Frank Richter as the “wildfire detection trio” to prospective customers to present the entire solution. Every time they learn more about which details matter to customers: “It’s really powerful when you can go into the forest and show them how our Wildfire Detection solution reduces the risk of injury for firefighters, limits possible damage and protects nature and animals.”
Teamplay, creativity and commitment to greater sustainability, combined in one job
“It’s fantastic being able to offer a technical solution that both protects the forest and reduces carbon dioxide emissions. The next generations will also profit. I have two daughters myself, and like the idea that my work benefits my children and grandchildren,” says the family man about how meaningful his occupation is. “Apart from the teamplay and creativity that my job involves, I’m motivated by the sustainability aspect. For me that’s the frosting on the cake.” Christoph Vieregge therefore also regards himself as a pioneer: someone who is motivated to help safeguard living beings, property and the environment better by developing new solutions. “A 100-year-old oak tree has experienced more than we have. I have respect for that, which is another reason why I want to help protect the forest and nature.” And how can he tell that his customers are satisfied? “When they talk enthusiastically about our Wildfire Detection service at a tradeshow or in a presentation and start convincing other attendees of its benefits, I know that we’re 100% on target with this service.”
