# First Machine to the Fire > Five teams are racing across 1,000 square kilometers of Alaska to prove a machine can fight a wildfire with no human in the loop. Published 2026-07-12 by Alaska AI. 9 slides. Canonical: https://alaskaaihq.com/archive/2026-07-12/ ## What we verified - XPRIZE Wildfire is a four-year, $11 million global competition to accelerate solutions that end destructive wildfires. [xprize.org](https://www.xprize.org/news/meet-the-future-of-autonomous-wildfire-response-xprize-wildfire-announces-finalist-teams-advancing-in-11m-competition), report. - The finalist teams were narrowed from an original field of nearly 300 teams worldwide. [businesswire.com](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260707802818/en/Dryad-Networks-Reaches-XPRIZE-Wildfire-Finals-Milestone-Demonstrating-Autonomous-Detection-and-Suppression-of-Wildfires-in-Alaska), report. - XPRIZE Wildfire program director Andrea Santy said wildfires are becoming more frequent, intense, unpredictable and destructive. [xprize.org](https://www.xprize.org/news/meet-the-future-of-autonomous-wildfire-response-xprize-wildfire-announces-finalist-teams-advancing-in-11m-competition), report. - Dryad Networks says its Silvanet sensors and Silvaguard drone detected a small wildfire within minutes of ignition and autonomously suppressed it with no human on scene during Alaska field trials. [businesswire.com](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260707802818/en/Dryad-Networks-Reaches-XPRIZE-Wildfire-Finals-Milestone-Demonstrating-Autonomous-Detection-and-Suppression-of-Wildfires-in-Alaska), report. - Dryad says its Silvaguard drone can deliver up to 100 liters of fire suppressant directly onto an ignition point. [businesswire.com](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260707802818/en/Dryad-Networks-Reaches-XPRIZE-Wildfire-Finals-Milestone-Demonstrating-Autonomous-Detection-and-Suppression-of-Wildfires-in-Alaska), report. - Dryad says more than 30,000 Silvanet sensors have been manufactured and deployed globally and that Silvanet has been deployed by more than 50 customers worldwide. [businesswire.com](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260707802818/en/Dryad-Networks-Reaches-XPRIZE-Wildfire-Finals-Milestone-Demonstrating-Autonomous-Detection-and-Suppression-of-Wildfires-in-Alaska), report. - Dryad CEO Carsten Brinkschulte said the competition validated that ultra-early detection combined with rapid autonomous suppression can fundamentally change how society fights wildfires. [businesswire.com](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260707802818/en/Dryad-Networks-Reaches-XPRIZE-Wildfire-Finals-Milestone-Demonstrating-Autonomous-Detection-and-Suppression-of-Wildfires-in-Alaska), report. - Alaska has experienced three of its four largest fire seasons in the last 25 years. [news.asu.edu](https://news.asu.edu/20251028-science-and-technology-using-ai-help-predict-wildfires-alaska), report. - In some years, such as 2022, Alaska accounted for nearly half of the total US acreage burned by wildfires. [news.asu.edu](https://news.asu.edu/20251028-science-and-technology-using-ai-help-predict-wildfires-alaska), report. - ReconCraft LLC of Anchorage, Alaska was awarded a $24,960,408 firm-fixed-price contract for autonomous low-profile vessels. [war.gov](https://www.war.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4538357/contracts-for-july-8-2026/), report. - The ReconCraft contract number is N00024-26-C-6324, a Naval Sea Systems Command award. [war.gov](https://www.war.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4538357/contracts-for-july-8-2026/), report. - The Autonomous Wildfire Response track has five finalist teams, Anduril (USA), Data Blanket (USA), Dryad (Germany), FireSwarm Solutions (Canada), and Wildfire Quest (USA). [xprize.org](https://www.xprize.org/news/meet-the-future-of-autonomous-wildfire-response-xprize-wildfire-announces-finalist-teams-advancing-in-11m-competition), report. - Work on the ReconCraft contract is performed in Clackamas, Oregon and is expected to be completed by November 2028. [war.gov](https://www.war.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4538357/contracts-for-july-8-2026/), report. - The ReconCraft contract was not competitively procured, per FAR 19.805-1(b)(2). [war.gov](https://www.war.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4538357/contracts-for-july-8-2026/), report. - The full $24,960,408 was obligated at award from FY2026 accelerated procurement and fielding of innovative technologies (Navy) funds. [war.gov](https://www.war.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4538357/contracts-for-july-8-2026/), report. - According to Sen. Sullivan's office, the FY2027 NDAA authorizes a historic $2.6 billion in military construction and projects specifically for Alaska. [sullivan.senate.gov](https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-secures-56-provisions-historic-26-billion-for-alaska-in-fy-2027-defense-authorization), report. - The FY2027 NDAA includes 56 provisions and amendments authored by Sen. Sullivan. [sullivan.senate.gov](https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-secures-56-provisions-historic-26-billion-for-alaska-in-fy-2027-defense-authorization), report. - The bill authorizes $15 million for resilient autonomous sensing in the Arctic. [sullivan.senate.gov](https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-secures-56-provisions-historic-26-billion-for-alaska-in-fy-2027-defense-authorization), report. - The bill authorizes $10 million for autonomy within the Golden Dome missile defense system. [sullivan.senate.gov](https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-secures-56-provisions-historic-26-billion-for-alaska-in-fy-2027-defense-authorization), report. - The bill mandates rigorous grid impact assessments before executing or renewing any Enhanced Use Lease (EUL), reviewing energy demands and commercial grid stability. [sullivan.senate.gov](https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-secures-56-provisions-historic-26-billion-for-alaska-in-fy-2027-defense-authorization), report. - The bill would establish an Analytics and Simulation Laboratory within the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies. [sullivan.senate.gov](https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sullivan-secures-56-provisions-historic-26-billion-for-alaska-in-fy-2027-defense-authorization), report. - The Autonomous track finals field-test across a 1,000 square kilometer test zone in Alaska. [xprize.org](https://www.xprize.org/news/meet-the-future-of-autonomous-wildfire-response-xprize-wildfire-announces-finalist-teams-advancing-in-11m-competition), report. - The Alaska testing partner is the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration (ACUASI) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. [xprize.org](https://www.xprize.org/news/meet-the-future-of-autonomous-wildfire-response-xprize-wildfire-announces-finalist-teams-advancing-in-11m-competition), report. - ACUASI is one of the FAA-designated UAS test sites. [faa.gov](https://www.faa.gov/uas/programs_partnerships/test_sites), report. - The winning team in each XPRIZE Wildfire track receives $3.5 million. [xprize.org](https://www.xprize.org/news/meet-the-future-of-autonomous-wildfire-response-xprize-wildfire-announces-finalist-teams-advancing-in-11m-competition), report. - A $1 million bonus prize sponsored by Lockheed Martin is available to eligible Autonomous teams demonstrating superior detection. [xprize.org](https://www.xprize.org/news/meet-the-future-of-autonomous-wildfire-response-xprize-wildfire-announces-finalist-teams-advancing-in-11m-competition), report. - A $750,000 semifinal purse was distributed equally among the five Autonomous finalist teams. [xprize.org](https://www.xprize.org/news/meet-the-future-of-autonomous-wildfire-response-xprize-wildfire-announces-finalist-teams-advancing-in-11m-competition), report. - The XPRIZE Wildfire winner is expected to be announced in September 2026. [businesswire.com](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260707802818/en/Dryad-Networks-Reaches-XPRIZE-Wildfire-Finals-Milestone-Demonstrating-Autonomous-Detection-and-Suppression-of-Wildfires-in-Alaska), report. Slides and the deck PDF are linked from the canonical page.