Climate change conditions are fueling longer, more intense wildfires, making it crucial to detect them earlier. Google is funding an AI-powered wildfire-spotting satellite network, addressing the need for early detection and analysis of changing conditions in the field. The Earth Fire Alliance project called FireSat, aims to spot fires as small as 16 feet by 16 feet, and images refresh every 20 minutes. A separate German startup, OroraTech, plans to launch its own mini satellites to specialize in AI wildfire detection, delivering its fire-spotting images every 30 minutes. Other companies are using high-tech camera stations to detect and fight fires. Additionally, high-atmosphere balloons can supplement satellite and tower technologies by tracking wildfires and gathering important data. Currently the value of prevention and early detection is being undervalued, and although the expense of prevention might raise public interest, its true value can only be understood in terms of preventing countless horrific deaths and the enormous personal, business, insurance and tax-saving benefits it brings by greatly reducing wildfire-related deaths and destruction with respect to not having such AI fire-detection systems in place.
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