Augmented Reality for Navigation, Team Coordination, and Real-Time Data Visualization in Firefighting Operations

A key challenge in wildfire management is the reliance on fragmented data, which complicates real-time decision-making for commanders in the field. While Augmented Reality (AR) shows promise, existing solutions often depend on handheld devices that occupy the user's hands or focus on singular tasks rather than providing a comprehensive operational view. This paper presents an innovative head-worn AR system, designed to enhance situational awareness for firefighting team leaders. Our system intelligently fuses multiple live data streams, including team member GPS locations, satellite-derived fire perimeters, predictive fire spread simulations, and real-time weather data, into a single, interactive holographic interface. The system's usability and effectiveness were evaluated at the Emergency Service Academy Finland involving 15 professional stakeholders. Feedback from these trials was positive, highlighting the system's potential to support critical decision-making and improve the safety and efficiency of firefighting operations.