Google has expanded its long-standing AI-powered forest fire border monitoring system to 15 new countries, including Turkey. The system, which is now active in Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Kenya, Monaco, Montenegro, Portugal, Rwanda, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey, aims to more effectively monitor fire areas and inform people with notifications.
Google’s wildfire tracking system provides results that show fire boundaries via “Search” and “Maps.” These results use a variety of data sources and imagery to more accurately determine the extent of fires. The system aims to provide users with timely, local information about fires through location-based notifications, so both locals and tourists can get the information they need to stay safe in fire-prone areas.
How does Google’s AI-powered fire tracking work?
Google’s AI-powered fire tracking model is trained using multiple data sources, particularly satellite imagery. The model also analyzes burned areas after a fire, helping to more precisely determine fire boundaries. Other AI models are also used to confirm the presence of a fire, providing more reliable results than a system based solely on satellite imagery.
Google launched this new feature this summer, mapping more than 40 fires in Southern Europe. Many fires were tracked and reported using the system, including fires in Spain, Greece, and Cyprus. In the first week, information about fires in Europe and Africa reached 1.4 million people.
The system also aims to help visitors who do not speak the local language. Notifications are tailored to user settings and preferred languages, ensuring that travelers during the tourist season can get up-to-date, local information in their own language. Fire information is also added to driving directions on Google Maps, helping drivers understand if there is a fire risk along their route.
Google has already launched this feature in countries affected by fires and where the model is delivering high-quality results. In the future, it plans to expand to more countries as the models improve and to share critical information about fires in a timely manner.