Just a decade ago, the survival of our forests depended solely on human vigilance in solitary watchtowers. Today, a sophisticated, invisible network of digital sentinels never sleeps: artificial intelligence, orbiting satellites, silent drones, and a web of IoT (Internet of Things) sensors monitor every hectare of forest 24/7, able to detect a threat before the first spark ignites. In an era where climate change threatens to turn our green lungs into ashes, technology has emerged as a powerful ally in the battle for preservation.
An Innovation Laboratory
California, one of the areas hardest hit by wildfires on the planet, has turned adversity into innovation. Over the past decade, this US state has witnessed millions of hectares of forest burned, resulting in significant financial losses and a devastating impact on entire communities. However, its technological response is marking a turning point in the fight against fire. The ALERTCalifornia AI project, implemented by Cal Fire, the state’s fire-fighting agency, represents a qualitative leap in early fire detection.
The system deploys a network of 1,039 high-definition cameras covering 90% of fire-prone areas, processing high-resolution images at great speed. Initial results are promising: in its first weeks of operation, the system detected 77 wildfires before any 911 calls were made, achieving a 40% success rate. Developing this technology has not been without challenges. The system must learn to distinguish smoke from similar phenomena such as fog, tractor dust, or steam from geothermal plants. Despite this, its accuracy is constantly improving thanks to continuous algorithm training and specialist oversight.
Ecosystems Under Guard
Fortunately, in various corners of the world, technological initiatives are emerging to protect our increasingly vulnerable forests and ecosystems amid the climate crisis. Among these projects is FireSat, one of Google’s most ambitious proposals to revolutionise early wildfire detection. FireSat aims to overcome the limitations of current satellite systems, which require a choice between high-resolution images with low update frequency or fast updates with low image quality.
Google’s innovation proposes a monitoring system made up of 52 satellites, combining high resolution and frequent updates, enabling unprecedented accuracy in detecting and tracking fires. FireSat not only allows small hotspots to be detected and extinguished before they become uncontrolled conflagrations but also provides critical information to develop effective strategies when fires have already grown.
Another notable project is SenForFire, set to be implemented in seven European municipalities. It consists of a network of wireless sensors acting as vigilant sentinels, constantly monitoring the health of our forests. These small devices, strategically placed in trees, collect large amounts of real-time environmental data. Temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation—all these factors are crucial for determining fire risk. Just as a doctor takes a patient’s pulse, these sensors take the pulse of the forest.
When a significant change in these parameters is detected, an alarm is triggered. Thanks to this early alert, firefighters can intervene quickly, before flames spread and cause irreparable damage.
These and other initiatives represent a giant step towards a future where wildfires are less frequent and devastating. They are a testament to how technology can serve both nature and people.
A Hopeful Future
In the short and medium term, the environmental outlook remains cloudy. “It’s likely we’ll continue to see an increase in the frequency and severity of fires worldwide, due to deforestation and climate change,” warns James MacCarthy, a researcher at Global Forest Watch, a free digital platform that monitors the world’s forests in near-real-time to track deforestation, wildfires, and changes in global forest cover.
In the face of this scenario, new technological tools offer a hopeful future. The continued evolution of artificial intelligence, the reduction in satellite technology costs, and growing international collaboration are creating an ecosystem of innovation that is unprecedented.
Challenges remain, such as the digital divide between regions, the high cost of some solutions, and the need for specialised personnel. However, to combat wildfires and preserve forests, technology has become our most valuable ally.
stronger than one