Forest fires have become one of the frequently encountered disasters worldwide in the past two years. Especially with the occurrence of climate change, this situation has become even more pronounced. Today’s news, however, shows that artificial intelligence technology will help mitigate the forest fire issue.
The program has already prevented a fire from escalating!
In today’s world, forest fires caused by climate change and various other factors have become a significant problem. Experts have turned to artificial intelligence for a solution to this problem. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) has introduced a new program that utilizes artificial intelligence to detect forest fires.
The mentioned program assists in taking precautions as soon as a fire starts. This program, created in collaboration with the University of California, San Diego, is quite comprehensive. It receives signals from 1032 cameras that rotate 360 degrees and uses artificial intelligence to detect anomalies.
Subsequently, it alerts emergency services to determine whether the potential fire requires intervention. This program, which started in July, has already managed to stop a potential fire.
One camera recorded a fire starting in the Cleveland National Forest at 3 in the morning. The artificial intelligence detected this fire and alerted a fire captain. It also summoned around 60 firefighters, including seven engines, two bulldozers, two water tankers, and two hand crews. The lead researcher of the program, UCSD Professor of Geology and Geophysics Neal Driscoll, provided a statement regarding the matter.
“We are currently in an extreme climate. Therefore, we are providing them with the data because this issue is bigger than all of us. In order to help shift the needle even a little, we need to use technology.”
So, what do you think about this program? Don’t forget to share your opinions with us in the comments section!
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