How AI can help spot wildfires

New technologies could detect fires faster, giving first responders a head start. In February 2024, a broken utility pole brought down power lines near the small town of Stinnett, Texas. In the following weeks, the fire reportedly sparked by that equipment grew to burn over 1 million acres, the biggest wildfire in the state's history. The full FireSat system should be able to detect tiny fires anywhere in the world, and provide updated images every 20 minutes. Anything from stray fireworks to lightning strikes can start a wildfire. While it's natural for many ecosystems to see some level of fire activity, the hotter, drier conditions brought on by climate change are fueling longer fire seasons with larger fires that burn more land.