In the fall of 2023—one of the worst wildfire seasons in Canadian history—a Rank 6 fire tornado tore through Gun Lake, B.C., destroying Melanie Bitner’s generations-old family home. “I watched it blow up before my eyes at about 4:30 in the morning,” Bitner shares, teary-eyed.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Bitner and her family agonized over one question: what, if anything, could have been done differently to prevent it? She learned that aerial firefighting efforts are halted after sunset when the lack of visibility makes flying too dangerous. “We looked around the globe and thought there must be something out there that can support crews,” Bitner says. “We didn’t find it. So, we took a big swing.”
That same fall, Bitner co-founded FireSwarm Solutions. The deep-tech startup builds AI-enabled autonomous software and integrated hardware that enables ultra-heavy-lift drones to operate as coordinated swarms, delivering scalable support for wildfire response. Crucially, the technology is designed to operate at night, in low visibility and in conditions too risky for human pilots—filling a longstanding gap in emergency response.
While wildfire suppression remains its core focus, the platform is already being applied across a range of disaster scenarios, Bitner explains. It’s also gaining serious traction, both at home and on the international stage. FireSwarm was recently accepted into the 2026 NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) program, opening the door to potential deployment across member countries. Locally, the team has conducted integrated training exercises with the City of Kelowna and is working with partners including Strategic Natural Resource Group and Cheslatta Contracting (the economic development arm of the Cheslatta Carrier Nation), and is also in talks with B.C. and Alberta wildfire agencies, who continue to follow their progress.
Next up, Bitner is working to bridge the gap between innovation and early commercialization. So far, the team has been testing on both small and large drones to refine its technology, while lining up funding and contracts to scale to ultra-heavy-lift systems in the field. That next step, the founder-CMO says, will be critical for proving the concept in real-world conditions. In the process, the company is uncovering new ways to support crews beyond their original vision—from speeding up remote access to moving heavy equipment—with an eye toward building a global, safety-first operation.
What is a skill you are working on?
Rising to the challenge of her new position.
What B.C.-based business are you obsessed with?
SenseNet.
What is a small daily joy of yours?
“Trading silly snapchat photos, messages and memes with my young adult kids.”
