To fight wildfires before they get out of control, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has implemented artificial intelligence (AI). The technology is used to detect fires before they spread, together with the Alert California program run by the University of California in San Diego and more than 1,000 cameras spread throughout the state. The cameras scan their surroundings every two minutes, and AI scans them for any changes, highlighting them in a red box on the screen. The camera system red flags an anomaly when it does, mostly looking for smoke.
In an effort to keep 95% of fires at 10 acres or less, Cal Fire has spread the technology to all 21 of its dispatch centers throughout the state. The cameras can see around 110 miles away at night and about 70 miles away during the day. Since July 10, 40% of fires have been located by AI before a 911 call, and the technology is still evolving and learning.
The AI system has been trained to spot changes in the distance, such as smoke from a wildfire or innocuous substances like mist or dust. This lessens eye fatigue and the demand for human involvement by allowing the system to concentrate on anomalies picked up by the AI.
Lookout towers are still keeping an eye out for wildfires throughout the state, some of which are manned by firefighters and others by volunteers. The firefighters are certain that this new technology is helping to save lives and property while not endangering human jobs.
