Virtual wildfire prize challenge winners announced

September 30, 2025

Winners of the Virtual Wildfire Modeling & Immersive Training Prize Challenge, a competition designed to develop augmented and virtual reality tools to support U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) readiness and wildfire response, were announced Sept. 25.

The challenge was hosted in partnership with the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD), the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP)/Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) and Central Florida Tech Grove.

Cash prizes totaling $150,000 were awarded to the top three submissions. Johnson’s Lab took first place, earning $70,000. SciVista, Inc. placed second and received $50,000, while Obsidian Solutions Group placed third, securing $30,000.

The competition sought immersive solutions to help DoD installations prepare for and respond to wildfire threats, which have increased due to environmental volatility, hazardous fuels and changing climate conditions.

Participants were asked to create standalone extended reality (XR) tools capable of simulating dynamic fire behavior, supporting scientific data visualization and enabling intuitive multi-perspective exploration. Submissions were due Aug. 14. Solutions were expected to align with the QUIC-Fire model and demonstrate scalability, field usability and compatibility with standalone XR hardware.

The competition included key milestones such as the launch and registration in June, a virtual information session in July, an August submission deadline and a Demo Day and awards presentation in late September.

The prize challenge aimed to identify innovative virtual and augmented reality solutions to improve wildfire response and prescribed fire training across the DoD. The goal was to provide data-rich, scientifically grounded simulations that enhance planning, operational readiness and training for installations facing increasing wildfire risks.