A fleet of new AI-powered wildfire cameras in Summit County is two-for-two spotting fires before they spread.
“That AI camera, Pano AI, is what found the fire last Sunday ten minutes before the first 911 call,” Summit Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons told Tom Fricke on the Krystal 93 mrning show. “It is amazing technology.”
Sunday’s fire was at Gold Hill. The first fire was in early July above the Wellington neighborhood, where residents reported the fire after the camera had spotted it.
These AI cameras are owned by Xcel Energy and cost more than a BMW. The utility owns 28 across the state.
But they are not infallible. Authorities say they have been tricked before, sending false alerts to firefighters when they see campfires and even backyard barbecues.