Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) turns to artificial intelligence to develop a way to predict how a forest fire spreads.
The model that USC specialists work on is based on the artificial intelligence resource supported by real-time satellite data.
“There are physics-based models that can be used to predict the progress of a forest firewhere it is going,” said one of the study’s co-authors, Assad Oberai.
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The model being developed at USC It is not very different from those used for weather prediction.Oberai added.
According to the research, real-time data are fed into a computer algorithm to forecast the likely trajectory, intensity and rate of growth that a forest fire can reach.
“As we look for technology to help us do our jobs better, to be faster and more accurate, We will save lives and better protect property.“said Pasadena Fire Department Chief Chad Augustin.
Keep reading: Evacuation orders in Riverside due to brush fire
The research being conducted by USC comes at a time when firefighters in California and other western states are face a severe wildfire season.
Until the afternoon of this Sunday, July 28, California has had a total of 346,232 emergency responses so far in 2024, according to Cal Fire.
Total, There have been 4,521 forest fires in the statewhich represents a significant increase from 2023, when 3,649 claims were recorded in California.
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USC’s research is also aimed at learning more about this type of ecological disasters, the consequences of which They also affect people’s health..
“All the emissions that forest fires release into the atmosphere cause pollution, not necessarily in the exact place where the fire occurs, but several thousand miles away“, Oberai said.
Having a resource like the one developed at the University of Southern California could further demonstrate the power of AIpotentially assisting evacuation teams and fire departments on the front lines.
Keep reading: Firefighter injured fighting a blaze in Ventura County
“It is not going to replace human beings, but it will allow us to make much better informed decisions“, Augustin noted.
Park Fire grows to 360,000 acres
According to Cal Fire’s information update regarding the Park Fire, as of Sunday afternoon the fire had spread to 360,141 acres, with 12% containment.
The fire, which It is currently the largest one that is active in California.broke out this Friday, July 24, and is spreading across areas of Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama counties.
Keep reading: Fire in Los Angeles County causes evacuation of more than 1,200 people
3,927 elements are working to fight the flameswith the support of 16 firefighting aircraft from the air.
The fire occurs in heavy and receptive fuel bedswhich allows the fire to spread rapidly.
The conditions Warm, windy and dry conditions would increase the risk of extreme fire activitysimilar to what has happened previously.
Keep readingSad news: large area of vegetation in Los Angeles is destroyed by fire
This Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over the Park Fire to make it easier for affected residents to access government resources, such as unemployment funds.
The conflagration It is considered the seventh on the list of the 10 largest forest fires that have occurred in California.
Keep reading:
· Weather conditions increase risk of wildfires this weekend in Southern California
· San Bernardino County firefighters attack vegetation fire in the Oro Grande area
SoCal Edison pays $80 million to settle 2017 wildfire claims