California authorities launched AI to detect forest fires – Kommersant

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection launched new artificial intelligence (AI) system Alert California AI, which will help in the early detection of wildfires in the region. The program was created in collaboration with the University of California, San Diego, based on an AI platform from local company DigitalPath. The development cost was $20 million and will require further investment.

AI reads information from more than 1 thousand cameras to identify anomalies. Cameras from drones and aircraft are also used – with their help, three-dimensional scanning of the area is carried out. When smoke or other fire signals are detected, the system notifies the rescue services and authorities, who decide on the need for fire fighting or rescue operations. The system has already been able to nip in the bud at least one fire that flared up in the Cleveland National Forest east of San Diego – the fire was extinguished in 45 minutes.

Evgeny Fedunenko