California firefighters use AI to spot wildfires

STORY: As wildfires scorched their way through Hawaii’s Maui island this week killing dozens and forcing thousands to flee, some wondered whether artificial intelligence of AI system could have helped minimize the damage.

In California, firefighters are experimenting with AI to see if it can do just that, setting up more than 1,000 cameras across the state that feed images into a machine that alerts first responders about when to mobilize.

Suzann Leininger is an intelligence specialist at Cal Fire.

"So our mission is to keep all wildland fires ten acres or less. So these AI cameras will help us get out there faster, to keep up with that mission."

The ALERTCalifornia pilot program began just last month but has already started to show results.

A camera spotted a fire that broke out at 3 am in the remote Cleveland National Forest about 50 miles east of San Diego. In the dark, it could have spread into a raging wildfire, but the AI-powered program alerted a fire captain who called in crews that put it out in 45 minutes.

“If a detection is automatically happening, then that's the that's what can be really helpful to us because it's basically patrolling 24/7."

Leininger says the technology could one day serve as a model for other states and countries. as around the world.

“I think it's 100% applicable throughout anywhere in the world, especially now that we're experiencing a lot larger and more frequent fire regimes and with climate change, it's coming everywhere.”

The AI system was designed by engineers at the University of California San Diego using AI from DigitalPath, a company based in Chico, California.