AI Cameras are Being Deployed Across the Western US for Early Detection of Wildfires (sfgate.com)
(Sunday May 03, 2026 @10:09PM (EditorDavid)
from the burn-rate dept.)
- Reference: 0183117636
- News link: https://news.slashdot.org/story/26/05/03/2319207/ai-cameras-are-being-deployed-across-the-western-us-for-early-detection-of-wildfires
- Source link: https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/states-across-the-wildfire-prone-western-us-are-22236503.php
[1]The Associated Press reports :
> On a March afternoon, artificial intelligence detected something resembling smoke on a camera feed from Arizona's Coconino National Forest. Human analysts verified it wasn't a cloud or dust, then alerted the state's forest service and largest electric utility. One of dozens of AI cameras installed for the utility Arizona Public Service had spotted early signs of what came to be known as the Diamond Fire. Firefighters raced to the scene and contained the blaze before it grew past 7 acres (2.8 hectares).
>
> As record-breaking heat and an abysmal snowpack raise concerns about severe wildfires, states across the fire-prone West are adding AI to their wildfire detection toolbox, banking on the technology to help save lives and property. Arizona Public Service has nearly 40 active AI smoke-detection cameras and plans to have 71 by summer's end, and the state's fire agency has deployed seven of its own. Another utility, Xcel Energy in Colorado, has installed 126 and aims to have cameras in seven of the eight states it serves by year's end... ALERTCalifornia is a network of some 1,240 AI-enabled cameras across the Golden State that work similar to the system in Arizona....
>
> Pano AI, whose technology combines high-definition camera feeds, satellite data and AI monitoring, has seen a growing interest in its cameras since launching in 2020. They've been deployed in Australia, Canada and 17 U.S. states, including Oregon, Washington and Texas... Last year, its technology detected 725 wildfires in the U.S., the company said... Cindy Kobold, an Arizona Public Service meteorologist, said the technology notifies them about 45 minutes faster on average than the first 911 call.
[1] https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/states-across-the-wildfire-prone-western-us-are-22236503.php
> On a March afternoon, artificial intelligence detected something resembling smoke on a camera feed from Arizona's Coconino National Forest. Human analysts verified it wasn't a cloud or dust, then alerted the state's forest service and largest electric utility. One of dozens of AI cameras installed for the utility Arizona Public Service had spotted early signs of what came to be known as the Diamond Fire. Firefighters raced to the scene and contained the blaze before it grew past 7 acres (2.8 hectares).
>
> As record-breaking heat and an abysmal snowpack raise concerns about severe wildfires, states across the fire-prone West are adding AI to their wildfire detection toolbox, banking on the technology to help save lives and property. Arizona Public Service has nearly 40 active AI smoke-detection cameras and plans to have 71 by summer's end, and the state's fire agency has deployed seven of its own. Another utility, Xcel Energy in Colorado, has installed 126 and aims to have cameras in seven of the eight states it serves by year's end... ALERTCalifornia is a network of some 1,240 AI-enabled cameras across the Golden State that work similar to the system in Arizona....
>
> Pano AI, whose technology combines high-definition camera feeds, satellite data and AI monitoring, has seen a growing interest in its cameras since launching in 2020. They've been deployed in Australia, Canada and 17 U.S. states, including Oregon, Washington and Texas... Last year, its technology detected 725 wildfires in the U.S., the company said... Cindy Kobold, an Arizona Public Service meteorologist, said the technology notifies them about 45 minutes faster on average than the first 911 call.
[1] https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/states-across-the-wildfire-prone-western-us-are-22236503.php
We already have the look out towers in place (Score:2)
by sarren1901 ( 5415506 )
So adding some camera feeds that AI can comb over doesn't seem like much of a stretch. Toss a Starlink on each tower, a few cameras and send all those feeds to the cloud for analyst seems like a pretty afford idea.
Remembering Target (Score:2)
by MilenCent ( 219397 )
I remember how Target's use of "AI Camera" resulted in people being falsely accused of shoplifting.
but it won't happen, no money in it (Score:1)
for early detection AND SONIC EXTINGUIPATION
seriously, between this and the sonic fire suppression article a bit ago, there's a good idea to be had. Too bad we couldn't just get this done, it'd be helpful