How A.I. Can Help Humans Battle Wildfires, From Advanced Camera Systems to Forecasting Models

By Anna Fiorentino
The Smithsonian
January 30, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States

…After what’s been called one of the worst natural disasters in recent U.S. history, researchers are beginning to use new methods of wildfire detection and prediction—including artificial intelligence. This field enables machines to learn from experience by processing massive amounts of data to make predictions and recommendations. …But the rapidly evolving nature of A.I. has also made it difficult to establish comprehensive federal regulations, leading to concerns about ethics, trustworthiness and accuracy, with many experts emphasizing the importance of leaving the decision making about wildfire response up to a human, rather than a machine. The use of A.I. to detect and predict wildfires is still in its infancy. …But scientists are building more sophisticated A.I. models with up-to-date climate data that can detect wildfires quicker and map out their spread. …While becoming more efficient, large data centers and A.I.—used as much electricity in 2022 as the entire country of France.

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