AI sensors installed around Peninsula to detect wildfires

Fifty AI-powered sensors have been installed across the Peninsula to help detect wildland fires, thanks to a collaboration between the Saratoga-based FireSafe Council, Stanford University, and other local agencies.

These sensors are strategically placed in wildland urban interface areas, which are the zones where wildlife meets human habitats, including Woodside, Portola Valley, and unincorporated regions of San Mateo County.

The sensors provide real-time alerts to first responders about emerging fires and can monitor fire and smoke movement as well as air quality. This initiative is part of a unique program from the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate and N5 Sensors, as highlighted by FireSafe Council CEO Seth Schalet.

While the Peninsula is the latest area to adopt these AI sensors, other parts of the Bay Area, such as Santa Clara County and Oakland, have been using them for the past year.