EUGENE, Ore. — May 6, 2024 — Wildland firefighters in the western United States will now have the world’s largest public-facing network of wildfire detection cameras at their disposal.  

The AI-assisted system delivers early alerts about new fires across the West, improving response times and helping firefighters extinguish small fires before they become resource-intensive conflagrations.  

University of Oregon’s Oregon Hazards Lab, known as OHAZ, and its collaborators at University of Nevada, Reno and ALERTCalifornia at University of California, San Diego have helped make the advance possible. All university cameras now feed into the ALERTWest platform, as well as their respective university operated systems.

With secure login credentials, firefighters can now observe fire behavior and weather in real time from wildfire cameras throughout the western United States, and be promptly notified about new fires, said Nick Maggio, assistant director of wildfire technology for the Oregon Hazards Lab. 

“A key part of what we’re trying to accomplish is to remove barriers for first responders and emergency managers,” Maggio said. “No matter where they are deployed, if they have an account with ALERTWest, they can access cameras within the system.” 

The lab has been building out a network of wildfire detection cameras across Oregon since 2018 under a multi-university consortium formerly known as ALERTWildfire. It currently operates 45 wildfire cameras in Oregon, with plans to deploy 30 more by 2025. Teams at other public universities have been working on similar initiatives in their own states; ALERTCalifornia has over 1,080 cameras deployed up and down the state, and the Nevada Seismological Laboratory operates 107 cameras throughout Nevada, the Lake Tahoe area, and Idaho. 

The cameras, which typically are mounted on top of tall mountains, lookout towers or high-rise buildings to allow a 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape, can zoom, rotate and tilt, enabling fire managers to monitor conditions in real time or later through time-lapse footage.  

Previously, the cameras were available to view online, so emergency responders, fire managers, and even the public could keep an eye on areas of potential concern. But dedicated personnel weren’t watching 24/7, and the system didn’t send out alerts.  

Now, the ALERTWest operating software uses artificial intelligence to continuously monitor for new wildfire ignitions and deliver timely alerts to firefighters and dispatch centers. 

“When the algorithm detects smoke or heat, someone verifies it’s an actual incident, and then it goes out to dispatch,” says Doug Toomey, UO professor of earth sciences and director of OHAZ. This enables faster response times and helps fire managers better allocate resources when battling many blazes at once.  

The sensor networks, which are owned and operated by the three universities integrate their cameras into the ALERTWest platform, representing the type of public-private partnerships needed to address the large-scale effects of extreme climate, Toomey said.  

“We’re building a network for environmental monitoring and climate change adaptation by collaborating between universities, the private sector and the emergency responders who use the cameras,” Toomey said. “Universities have a fundamental part to play as the integrators and brokers of these trusted relationships.”  

“The Oregon Hazards Lab and the ALERTWest system are a critical component in protecting the west from wildfires,” said UO President Karl Scholz. “This collaboration demonstrates how leading research universities identify pressing public issues and harness cutting-edge technologies to serve communities.”  

The Oregon Hazards Lab has worked closely with partners at state and federal agencies to push for an interoperable wildfire detection camera system like this one.  

“This technology is a key step in helping prevent fire outbreaks from reaching a catastrophic size,” said Oregon Rep. Nancy Nathanson. “It translates to direct public benefit: public safety, joining multiple public and private sector entities in the effort.”  

The cameras aren’t just useful for fire professionals, either. 

“One benefit of the ALERTWest network is that the public is able to access the cameras and see what the fire is doing, so communities and individuals can make more informed decisions," said Jacob Gear, regional fire prevention coordinator for the U.S. Forest Service. 

The UO team hopes the camera network will grow even further in the coming years. Currently, the universities have wildfire cameras in Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho and Washington. But there’s interest in launching cameras in Colorado, Utah and beyond.  

“It’s expanding rapidly,” Toomey said. “We feel that the public universities have a vital role here to play in public safety and expanding these systems.”  

Any member of the public can view camera feeds at the ALERTWest website. Firefighters, emergency managers and other qualified personnel who wish to obtain camera control can receive login credentials. 

The Oregon Hazards Lab is supported by the state of Oregon, utility companies, and numerous federal agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and National Science Foundation. 

— By Laurel Hamers, University Communications, and Nicole Krueger, College of Arts and Sciences 

About the University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences  
The University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences supports the UO’s mission and shapes its identity as a comprehensive research university. With disciplines in humanities and social and natural sciences, the College of Arts and Sciences serves approximately two-thirds of all UO students. The College of Arts and Sciences faculty includes some of the world’s most accomplished researchers, and the more than $75 million in sponsored research activity of the faculty underpins the UO’s status as a Carnegie Research I institution and its membership in the Association of American Universities.