The nation’s most wildfire-prone state is partnering with an artificial intelligence platform that “never sleeps” and can detect potential fires before they cause chaos.
The California Forestry and Fire Department (Cal Fire) ALERTCalifornia at the University of California, San Diegoa public safety program that studies natural disasters to test a $24 million AI program.
“We have an automated system that never sleeps, never rests, and monitors the North Bay 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Mike Marcucci, director of California Fire Napa Lake Sonoma Division at Fox. told 2.
California is the most wildfire-threate state in the nation, with 7,396 recorded wildfires and 2.5 million acres burned in 2021 alone. There were 7,447 more wildfires in Golden State last year, burning a total of 331,360 acres.
Wildfires could threaten inpatient medical facilities in many California counties, study says
An oak fire blazes behind a charred pickup truck in the Jerseydale community of Mariposa County, California early Sunday, July 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
The 2018 camp fire in California was the deadliest and devastating in state history, killing 85 people and injuring 17 civilians and firefighters.
California’s Biggest Wildfires Observed by NOAA Space Satellite
According to Cal Fire, the new AI trials include working with fire departments in San Bernardino, Sonoma Lake Napa, Madera Mariposa Merced, Nevada Yuba Placer, Shasta Trinity and San Luis Obispo. It is said that
Firefighters clear a hotspot while battling an oak fire in the Jerseydale community of Mariposa County, California, Monday, July 25, 2022. They are part of the Task Force Rattlesnake program, which is made up of firefighters from the California Fire Department and the California National Guard. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
The program will deploy more than 1,000 high-definition pan-tilt-zoom cameras throughout the state to monitor non-stop for smoke and other signs of a fire.
“From the Oregon border to the Mexican border and everywhere in between, more cameras are being added as we speak,” Marcucci said.
California wildfires of the year hit near Yosemite
The high-tech camera can capture images from 90 miles away on a clear day and 190 miles away on a clear night thanks to its near-infrared night vision capabilities.
Cameras monitoring wildfires in the ALERTCalifornia AI program at the University of California, San Diego. (Cal Fire)
“They’re mounted on all kinds of different platforms,” Marcucci told NBC Bay Area. “They can rotate 360 degrees. They can see at night. There are also some images, and you can see quite a large area.”Likewise. “
Severe heatwave hits California, wildfires spread
ALERTCalifornia trained an AI system to detect anomalies in camera feeds such as heat, fire, and smoke while distinguishing them from other natural particles in the air, such as smog and fog. When anomalies are detected, an alert is sent to an emergency center, allowing humans to quickly investigate whether the situation is a real threat.
Wildfire camera surveillance at the ALERTCalifornia AI program at the University of California, San Diego. (Cal Fire)
“By harnessing the power of AI, we have the opportunity to revolutionize firefighting strategies by analyzing vast amounts of data, predicting fire behavior, and providing real-time insights to firefighters on the ground. said Cal Fire in announcing the trial. .
California man saves ‘shivering’ mule from drowning pool after devastating camp fire
California has adopted drone technology in recent years to fight fires, deploying autonomous flying machines to monitor where fires are spreading and the location of people trapped.
A monitoring program for the California Fire Department that uses AI to detect smoke and heat. (Cal Fire)
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom touted the state’s use of advanced technology to fight fires, saying last month that it would “protect more Californians from wildfires.”
“In just five years, we have witnessed a technological revolution in our response to the wildfires in California. And we’re looking at how it can help us deploy resources more intelligently,” Newsom said. in june. “And with the world’s largest aerial firefighting force and more firefighters on the ground than ever before, we’re keeping more Californians safe from wildfires. These resources will help protect our communities. It helps, but Californians should remain vigilant for what could turn into an intense wildfire season this year. ”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Other states frequently threatened by wildfires are also moving to deploy AI for smoke and heat monitoring, with Washington state announcing in May that it would deploy 21 camera stations. Colorado is also installing AI-equipped cameras in San Miguel County to help monitor fires.
