Forest fires, better defined with a new AI tool from Google

With the climate crisis, forest fires are on the rise, especially in France. According to estimates, the area exposed to fires in Europe has doubled in the last 50 years.

While Google Maps already allows users to locate areas where forest fires have broken out, the tech giant is now rolling out “Wildfire detection,” its artificial intelligence-based device to better define fire boundaries, AFP reports.

A new AI tool from Google will help firefighters

Already introduced in the United States, Canada and a number of Latin American countries, the tool has now been extended to France and 14 other European and African countries, including Greece, Portugal and Kenya. This technology allows the delimitation of fire boundaries in its search engine and in Google Maps.

Users near high-risk areas are notified directly with SOS alerts.

Ultimately, Google would like its tool to be able to predict where wildfires might start and how they might spread, taking into account data such as vegetation density and moisture. But it is still too early. For now, the multinational says it is working with authorities to ensure this tool is made available to people working on the ground, such as firefighters.