PSBTA Presents: Catching Wildfire (Video)

Latest episode

8 Aug 2026 · 46 min

When the Maui Wildfires Collapsed the Grid: Command, Chaos, and Critical Connectivity, Episode 12

When the Maui Wildfires Collapsed the Grid: Command, Chaos, and Critical ConnectivityWhat happens when a climate-driven, multi-front inferno knocks out cellular service and leaves hydrants dry? In this episode of Catching Wildfire, Maui Fire Chief Bradford Ventura joins Chief Jeff Johnson and Chief Kim Zagaris to deliver a raw, firsthand account of commanding a catastrophic disaster that burned through his own backyard.From the physical trauma of first responders losing their own homes to the rapid deployment of FirstNet deployables (CRDs) for emergency communications, this discussion…

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Earlier episodes 13 most recent

1. 

   13 Jul 2026 · 45 min

   Catching Wildfire: Advancing Weather Intelligence for Public Safety, Episode 11

   Wildfire isn’t just a "West Coast issue" anymore—it’s a growing threat that’s spreading across the entire country. But how do we actually stay ahead of it?In this episode of Catching Wildfire, I’m sitting down with Renny Vandeweg, General Manager at DTN Weather, and my co-host, Chief Kim "Chief Z" Zagaras. We’re diving deep into the massive technological shift happening in public safety.We move past the old-school methods of fire tracking and look at how modern AI, high-res atmospheric modeling, and satellite data are actually being used by utilities, insurance, and fire agencies to predict…

2. 

   2 Jul 2026 · 2 min

   PSBTA: Honoring 250 Years of Service and Safety

   As we celebrate 250 years of the United States of America, we take time to honor the legacy of public safety. From the earliest watchmen and volunteer fire brigades to today’s highly trained law enforcement, fire, EMS, and emergency management professionals, public safety has continually evolved to meet the needs of a growing nation.Across every generation, people have recognized a need and stepped forward to fill it, all in the service of protecting others. Few examples embody that spirit more than the visionaries who recognized that public safety needed its own dedicated broadband…

3. 

   15 Jun 2026 · 38 min

   Innovating Incident Command with Tablet Command Episode 10

   In this episode of the Catching Wildfire podcast, hosts Jeff Johnson (Retired Executive Director for the Western Fire Chiefs) and Chief Kim Zagaris (Senior Wildfire Policy Adviser for the Western Fire Chiefs) sit down with Will Pigeon, the Co-Founder and CEO of Tablet Command.We explore how Tablet Command is revolutionizing the fire service by serving as a unified digital platform that drastically reduces the cognitive load on incident commanders. From its origins following a tragic line-of-duty death to becoming a critical "single pane of glass" for modern firefighters, Will explains how…

4. 

   18 May 2026 · 41 min

   The Future of Resilience

   Are modern wildfires becoming impossible to stop? In this episode of Catching Wildfire, we dive into why the wildfire crisis has evolved into a "runaway structure fire" problem. The wildfire crisis in the U.S. has fundamentally evolved. It’s no longer just a wildland issue; it’s an urban conflagration problem. The current approach to wildfire management is struggling to address the escalating economic and physical scale of the problem. Solving this crisis requires moving beyond mere visceral reactions to fire. By integrating engineering principles into urban planning and prioritizing…

5. 

   1 May 2026 · 32 min

   Autonomous Wildfire Response: Bridging the Gap Between Tech and Adoption

   Could autonomous aircraft change the way we fight wildfires? 🚁🔥In this episode of Catching Wildfire, we sit down with Maxwell Brodie, founder of RAIN, to explore the future of autonomous wildfire response. We discuss the transition from traditional firefighting to integrating advanced autonomous technology, the reality of "assistive" vs. "uncrewed" flight, and how to overcome the biggest hurdle in the fire service: adoption.Join hosts Chief Jeff Johnson and Chief Kim Zagaras as they break down the roadmap for bringing this life-saving technology from the lab to the frontlines of our…

6. 

   S1 · E7 · 24 Mar 2026 · 49 min

   Satellites Revolutionize Wildfire Management

   Discover how cutting‑edge satellite technology is reshaping the future of wildland fire management. This episode dives into the shift from basic fire detection to advanced intensity assessment—unlocking proactive strategies, smarter decision‑making, and unprecedented situational awareness for fire professionals.

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