Real-Time Wildfire Intelligence for Incident Command
Phoenix Fire Labs builds AI systems that convert live wildfire radio traffic into actionable map intelligence in seconds, helping command teams make faster, safer decisions when conditions are changing by the minute.
Critical updates trapped in voice traffic and manual logs—a dangerous delay between what crews report and what command can see.
During major incidents, critical updates are often trapped in voice traffic and manual logs, creating a dangerous delay between what crews report and what command can see. Phoenix Fire Labs is building MOCKINGBIRD, an AI-powered wildfire communications engine that listens to tactical VHF channels, transcribes radio traffic in real time, extracts key operational signals—locations, unit references, incident events—and pushes structured updates into map-centric command workflows.
Our goal is simple: reduce radio-to-map latency from hours to seconds.
MOCKINGBIRD
An AI-powered wildfire communications engine that performs real-time speech-to-structure on tactical VHF traffic—extracting location, unit, and event signals and synchronizing them to geospatial command views.
The Phoenix Platform
The broader PHOENIX platform combines language AI, geospatial intelligence, and operational workflow design to support a live common operating picture for wildfire response. We are focused on practical field utility.
- Faster situational awareness during rapidly evolving incidents
- Reduced analyst burden during peak radio traffic
- Clearer decision support for resource allocation under pressure
Founded in Fire
Phoenix Fire Labs was founded by Carter LaSalle (Notre Dame) and Jack Phelps (Princeton), who lost their homes in the 2025 Palisades Fire. We are building this because we've lived the consequences of delayed fireground intelligence—and we believe modern AI infrastructure can materially improve outcomes for firefighters and communities.