California has harnessed artificial intelligence to detect wildfires

California authorities have connected an artificial intelligence system to tens of thousands of CCTV cameras that detects smoke and likely hotspots in forests.

Here's What We Know

The software was able to alert firefighters to smoke before dispatch centres received 911 calls about 40 per cent of the time, according to the state's fire agency (Cal Fire). In about two dozen cases, the AI identified fires that rescuers had not received calls about at all.

Cal Fire said the system significantly improved response times. Fires were extinguished before they had a chance to turn into out-of-control blazes.

The pilot programme began at the end of June 2023. It covered six Cal Fire locations and will be rolled out to all 21 command centres from September.

While there are advantages, the AI system still has some drawbacks. The technology can only detect fires that fall within the cameras' field of view. Also, its accuracy is affected by visible interference such as fog or dust.

Currently, AI will not be able to replace Cal Fire employees. Humans still have to double-check the algorithm's signals, and they are much better at navigating the terrain and understanding the context of events.

Today, AI processes billions of megapixels from cameras that cover 90% of California's fire-prone regions. In the future, Cal Fire wants to use the system to prevent 95% of all fires up to 10 acres in size.

Source: The New York Times