Staying Alert: Wildfire prevention with artificial intelligence

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- California wildfires are becoming more devastating and destructive as we face fire season year-round.

"In California, it's all about wildfires these days. And the reason is that we've had droughts," explained James Gore, the chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. "Those droughts have exacerbated things."

"There's no 'fire season' anymore," said CAL FIRE firefighter Camille Edward. "Sometimes it does take a toll. You're away from your families, especially during the summer months, with very little breaks, but it's what we signed up to do."

With fires happening 365 days per year, technology has become increasingly important in early detection and prevention.

Leading technology company Alchera developed "Firescout," an AI smoke detection solution to provide preparedness support before and after an emergency.

The proactive monitoring system helps protect lives by detecting the early stages of smoke through a network of fire watch cameras 24/7, optimized real-time alerts, and more.

"What we're trying to do here is we're trying to detect the fire and respond to it before it gets too big and too unmanageable," explained Sam Wallis the Emergency Manager of the Sonoma County Dept. of Emergency Management.

"To be able to detect an early-stage fire is extremely valuable. Time is a pretty critical factor when it comes to fire response," said CEO of Alchera Young K. Hwang. "If we detect an early-stage fire, we can notify the first responders. They can usually extinguish the fire before it becomes a large fire."

Watch the video above for more information on how artificial intelligence helps with early fire detection and response efforts.

For more information about Alchera, visit here.