Beneath the golden rooftops of Lhasa's 1,300-year-old Potala Palace, a squad in 'flame blue' uniforms walks a sacred beat 🚒. The 21st-century guardians of this UNESCO World Heritage site combine ancient wisdom with thermal imaging cameras to protect history from fire threats.
By day, these firefighters scale 13-story traditional architecture (that's 117 meters vertical!) to inspect butter lamps and electrical systems. By night, they study historical documents to understand the palace's unique fire risks. 💡 'Every carved wooden beam tells a story,' says team leader Tenzin Dorje. 'Our job is to make sure those stories continue.'
Their secret weapons? Drones for roof inspections 🚁, AI-powered smoke detectors, and good old-fashioned foot patrols covering 4,000+ stone steps daily. With tourism expected to surge 40% in 2026, their high-tech preservation work has never been more crucial.
