By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — As monsoon storms roll in, fire danger is ramping up across Arizona. Lightning can easily spark a wildfire, especially with how dry it has been.
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Maricopa County is rolling out new tools that use artificial intelligence to spot fires early, before they grow into bigger, more dangerous problems.
The new 360-degree cameras are installed across Maricopa County on top of mountain peaks. Their job is to spot signs of wildfire as quickly as possible.
“Wildfires are our most common threat we see in Maricopa County,” said Ron Coleman with the county’s emergency management department.
How the system works
The cameras use AI technology to help detect possible threats like smoke. For example, when the camera on Mount Ord detects a potential threat, an alert is sent to a person who reviews it.
“A live human being then reviews that to make sure that it isn’t just a dust devil and that it is a wildfire,” Coleman said. “One of the nice things about the camera is it allows for earlier detection. They’ve got broad views around the county.”
The old method relied on someone calling the fire department after seeing smoke.
When it comes to wildfires, every second counts. Those extra minutes can mean the difference between a small brush fire contained quickly and a neighborhood evacuation.
High-risk areas monitored
The cameras are focused on areas the county calls high risk, rural places where wildfires have started before and where they can spread fast.
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“Now with AI cameras, with modern technology and communication, we can really keep a better eye on what’s happening and really help protect the people of Maricopa County,” Coleman explained.
The dozens of cameras are monitored from a secure, undisclosed location in the county. The new high-tech building is where the county tracks disasters and emergencies like flooding and wildfires.
“Our job here at Maricopa County emergency management is to help keep the public safe,” he said.
The county installed the cameras with help from APS. There are nearly 50 cameras now spread across elevated locations, including Thompson Peak, which was the most recent one installed.
The cameras combine ultra-high-definition cameras, satellite feeds, artificial intelligence and cloud-based software to provide real-time actionable intelligence and situational awareness to inform rapid response to wildfires before they escalate.
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