Santa Clara, California, USA: 17-year-old ‘SmokeSignal’ founder combines artificial intelligence, education, and advocacy to prevent wildfires worldwide
Siddhartha Patel Daswani, a 17-year-old Indian-American innovator, is gaining international recognition for his efforts to prevent wildfires using artificial intelligence, youth engagement, and policy reform.
Through his initiative “SmokeSignal,” Daswani has been inspiring young people and communities across the globe to take proactive steps in fighting one of the world’s most dangerous environmental challenges.
His passion for wildfire prevention began at the age of 10, when the Napa Valley wildfires in California forced school closures and filled the skies with smoke. “For 36 hours, the sun disappeared,” he recalls. “That experience made me realise this can’t become our normal.”
What started as a childhood curiosity soon evolved into a large-scale tech-driven mission. Today, SmokeSignal has developed cutting-edge AI systems capable of detecting and predicting wildfires in real time. One of its tools identifies smoke in satellite imagery, enabling early detection without relying on expensive hardware.
Another advanced model, trained using over 831 million data variables from six U.S. federal agencies, forecasts the likely spread of wildfires within a minute—helping emergency teams act faster and save more lives.
Beyond the technological breakthroughs, Daswani has made global outreach a central part of his work. SmokeSignal has hosted wildfire awareness and prevention seminars on four continents, including locations in Los Angeles, Maui, Zambia, Argentina, and India.
The organisation’s reforestation project—powered by more than 50,000 youth volunteers—has already planted over 45,000 trees in the U.S., India, and Kenya. Daswani also established the “Be the Change Incubator,” which mentors students across Asia, Africa, and North America to create their own sustainability projects.
“AI is an amazing tool,” Daswani says, “but when you unite it with education and community service, it becomes truly unstoppable.”
His initiatives have sparked a global youth movement—3,000 participants have joined climate walk-a-thons, 1,000 students have started their own sustainability campaigns, and 200 children attend weekly mindfulness and environmental programs hosted at temples.
Daswani’s research and advocacy have also helped shape wildfire management policies. Collaborating with Stanford University and a California fire department responsible for 39,300 acres, he co-created a new model for prescribed burns that includes Indigenous fire stewardship practices.
That approach has since been used in over 100 controlled burns spanning 40,000 acres. Daswani is now assisting in drafting a federal climate policy brief that proposes updates to the U.S. Clean Air Act to support safer controlled burning.
“Siddhartha is an exceptional young man—articulate, passionate, and deeply committed to wildfire prevention through AI,” said Seth Schalet, CEO of the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council.
For Daswani, the mission has always been bigger than technology: “Technology can guide us, but people drive change. I want every young person to believe that their ideas have the power to save lives.”
In 2025, SmokeSignal is working with fire departments in Hawaii and California to test its AI detection platform in real-world conditions. The project is also being expanded globally, offering free access to over 20 fire agencies worldwide.
As the youngest honorary board member of the Santa Clara FireSafe Council and a national ambassador for BAPS Charities, Daswani continues to bring together innovation, empathy, and civic responsibility.
“I’ve learned that being a changemaker isn’t about age—it’s about action,” he reflects. “Every major solution begins with someone who’s willing to take the first step.”
