AI-powered surveillance system helps avert forest fire in Hosur division

AI-powered surveillance system averts forest fire in Jawalagiri range, showcasing technology's crucial role in conservation efforts.

An Artificial Intelligence-powered surveillance and a rapid response system helped avert a major forest fire in Jawalagiri forest range here in Hosur forest division, according to the Forest Department.

Three fire incidents were detected by the Forest Department in real time with the aid of the AI driven monitoring system in Palayam and Geejanakuppam areas in Jawalagiri range. The AI cameras equipped with real time image processing and anomaly detection flagged the presence of flames and smoke prompting an emergency response within seconds, the Forest Department said. With the timely detection, the field staff of Jawalagiri range doused the fires. According to the Department, the teams were mobilised “within a record time of 35 minutes” and the fires were put out completely.

Artificial Intelligence cameras were purchased under the Tamil Nadu Innovative Initiative (TNII) Scheme and deployed in 17 locations of the Reserve Forest boundaries in Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary and in other vulnerable locations where elephants frequently move from forest areas to human habitations.

The Forest Department highlighting the role of AI in environment conservation underlined the reduced response time, quick action preventing the spread of fires through smart monitoring systems. The application is primarily to track elephant movements and prevent elephant collisions on railway tracks.

“In a demonstration of how technology could aid in the conservation, an imminent forest fire in Jawalagiri range was successfully averted thanks to the deployment of AI-powered surveillance and rapid response system,” according to the Forest Department. The timely and swift intervention was made possible by an advanced AI camera based alerting system and an enhanced control centre set up.

The Wild Vision AI Foundation, an NGO invested in wildlife and forest conservation, was instrumental in refining and implementing this technology, the Forest Department said.